The Misfortune of Zora Medina
by writhing
Summary: There were two things Zora Medina disliked the most: having to suddenly join a pack of shape-shifting wolves and being the only woman in the history of the pack to imprint. [Jacob x OC]
1. Chapter 1

_My love for you was bulletproof, but you're the one who shot me._

\- Pierce the Veil

* * *

 **INTRODUCTION**

It was probably some cruel joke played on me by my ancestors.

I imagined them rolling around in their graves, piles of bone and dust convulsing in the dirt as they shout amongst themselves, _"A female wolf? Impossible!_ _A vile act against nature!"_

Then the head alpha, the very _first_ leader of the wolves, hastily decides on a course of action, speaking in deep, powerful baritone as he says, _"We must punish her."_

And that was when they involved Jacob Black. He was strong, determined, and probably the favorite of all the dead alphas. So they chose him to torture me, which brings me to the next point – the main point, actually.

In order for us "protectors" to thrive, to maintain peace for generation after generation, we have to keep the bloodline alive. Thus, imprinting was conjured. A look into the designated person's eyes and suddenly, we knew this was who would maintain the pack; this was who would bear son after son, and those sons would shape-shift into the wolves we grew up learning about.

Shape-shifting was thought to be reserved for males because all of the protectors, both past and present, have been men. Except for me, of course. A woman, a female wolf whose genetics defied the natural order and inherited _the_ gene. I had the ability to shift, and unfortunately, I could imprint. And the lucky (or shall I say _unlucky_ ) boy who was unwillingly bestowed upon me was none other than Jacob.

The only catch, though, was that he could still imprint, and the torturous part was that it wasn't on me.

* * *

 _AN_ :

I'm aware that Twilight isn't a relevant series anymore. However, I've had part of this story written in a notebook for almost two years and go back to it every so often when I want to write, but don't feel inspired enough to do something original. That being said, I've realized that I would like to share what I have so far because it's unlike the Twilight fan-fictions I've written in the past (which were all very horrible thanks to teenage angst). Also, I just feel nostalgic about the excitement of writing a story, posting it, and hearing feedback from readers. So, please enjoy if you decide to read it, and don't be afraid to leave a comment!


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER ONE**

"This is bullshit," Zora said, a low grumble of a belch exiting her mouth after a final chug of beer.

Leah burped after her. "You say that every day."

"It's my duty to constantly remind you." _Not that she needed it_ , Zora thought, watching the blank expression on her friend's face, waiting for any sign of sadness she knew was lingering within.

The two were sitting on Leah's front porch, eyeing passerby with the meanest looks they could muster – for fun. The sun was dipping below the trees, a watercolor mix of deep blue and orange in the sky. And the moon, a faint little crescent slowly gathering its brightness, rose higher and higher.

They would have to start patrolling soon.

Sam was kind enough—Leah would say this with _extreme_ sarcasm—to pair the two girls while they wandered through the woods, looking out for any sign of danger in the form of sparkling vampire. Sometimes, he grouped them with Seth or one of the other guys, Zora believing he harbored some sexist ideals about hers and Leah's ability, or rather, power. Most of the time, though, it was just Zora and Leah, the only girls of the pack, the two brought together by similar circumstances.

* * *

Before Zora made the change, about a month or two before she joined the pack, she hadn't been feeling well. She started experiencing intense headaches, stomach pain, and sometimes, she was feverish. On top of that, her body started to change. She'd already gone through puberty (and hid any horrendous remnants of that time), so she was confused as to why her hips began widening, why her thighs were thicker and filling with muscle, why her arms had become more defined, and why her physical strength was suddenly increasing.

Sometimes, she'd wake up in the middle of the night with a painful hunger gnawing deep inside her stomach, so she'd consume most of the food in the fridge in one sitting. With the snap of a finger, she could go from happy to livid. In truth, she thought that she was transforming into some sort of buff monster.

And hardly anyone noticed. Her mother, Autumn, was a nurse at the hospital in Forks and worked long, tiring shifts; and her father, Russell, lived in Oregon with his longtime girlfriend and their two dogs.

It was almost comical how alone Zora was; the friendships she had didn't extend beyond her shared lunch table, contributing to conversation here and there, complimenting a haircut or a new pair of shoes when necessary. She didn't mind that things were this way because she wanted to leave La Push. She wanted her future to stretch beyond the rez. And leaving would be painless if she didn't have anyone to leave behind.

But then those damn sparkling vampires fucked up everything.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER TWO**

Zora rarely lost her temper, but the day she shifted, she was angry on an entirely new level. Thanks to a not-so-great grade on her algebra test and her tardiness to another class made for an extra irritated mood.

She'd been looking forward to lunch that day as a reprieve; the cafeteria was going to serve slices of chocolate cake, and being a lover of all things chocolate, Zora was beyond excited. She practically ran for the lunch line, disregarding the mash of potatoes and sketchy, oddly colored meat placed on her tray. A couple of students in front of her were being served their slices, and Zora's mouth began watering at the sight of the creamy frosting. When it was finally her turn, the lunch lady gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, hun," she said, adjusting her hair net. "We just ran out."

Zora looked from the woman to the boy in front of her. He was tall with a broad back, thick black hair stopping at the nape of his neck. Even without seeing his face, Zora knew he was a member of the "La Push Gang" – a group of the rez's finest male specimens tasked with "keeping the peace," whatever that meant.

Staring at him caused a strange heat to erupt within her, an angry hotness surging through her bones. He looked back at her with a smug smile, cake already in his teeth.

"My bad."

He walked back to his seat, slapped his tray full of food on the table, and devoured the rest of the cake slice in one bite.

The heat in Zora's bones intensified – _he hadn't even savored it_ , she thought. _Didn't even chew! Just swallowed it like the big animal he was_. She could feel her fists clenching, the heat becoming unbearable now. She threw her tray to the ground and rushed from the cafeteria, her hands soon finding the doors of the school's main entrance. With a hard and powerful shove, she was outside and sprinting towards the forest, not registering where she was headed or why.

As the trees grew denser, the more pain she felt. Her bones were on fire, spreading through ligaments and tendons as quickly as it would through a dry forest. Finally, she stopped running, her body shaking so intensely that she could no longer move.

Zora wanted to tear the skin from her limbs, rip herself apart as the fire consumed her. She let out a howl of a scream, her bones snapping loudly, shifting beneath the skin that was quickly receding from her body.

 _I'm dying._

 _I'm dying._

 _I'm dying._

Then everything stopped.

She opened her eyes, now noticing she was on the ground – only everything was ten times clearer. She could hear the stream miles away, small fish jumping in and out of the water. She could hear the faint rustle of an engine on the road, a gruff voice singing along with a song on the radio. And she could sense all of the movement around her—the worms in the ground, the soft pulsing of a rabbit's hop, the flapping of a dragonfly's wings.

She was amazed…and then horrified when she saw fur-covered paws beneath her. A million crazed and panicked thoughts ran through her head, but one was especially difficult to believe.

 _The legends were actually true?_

She howled again, disturbed by her own distraught noise, and launched herself further into the trees.

* * *

The voices started soon after.

Zora wasn't sure how much running she'd done, but by the time she finally slowed down, the sun had set and she was met with a moon-less night sky. She didn't know where she was, either. Everything looked the same: trees and darkness.

She sighed, convinced she would never make it home or even turn into a human again.

 _Turn into a human…_ she barked a laugh. How crazy that sounded – a friend-less, teenage girl who could now transform into a wolf, and who had not the slightest idea how to get back to her normal self. She sank to the ground with a sad whimper, ready to accept her fate when she heard an inquisitive voice.

" _Who the hell are you?"_

Her ears perked up and she jumped to her feet. She knew she heard the person speak, but couldn't find the source.

" _In your head. We're sharing thoughts."_

" _You're in my head?"_ Zora responded. _"Great. Now, I'm crazy."_

The voice laughed. _"Yeah, we're all pretty crazy around here. What's your name?"_

" _Zora…I just—this happened to me today."_ She thought of school, of her bones and skin burning, and that damned cake. She could feel herself growing angry again, and then the voice started laughing.

" _You shifted…because you were mad…about cake?"_ he stammered between laughs.

Zora tensed. _"I was looking forward to it all day!"_

" _That's a new one,"_ the voice said. _"The other guys are gonna get a kick out of this."_

Zora, still tensed, began growling. _"This isn't a joke."_

" _You're right,"_ the voice said, still trying to stifle his laughter, _"it's not."_

Though the effort was in vain because another laugh entered Zora's mind, then the two mystery voices laughed together.

" _Jesus Christ,"_ Zora complained, her eyes rolling. _"Who are you guys anyway?"_

" _The name's Jared."_

" _And Paul,"_ the newer voice said. _"I'm the reason you turned, and I feel so honored."_

Zora immediately pictured the guy with the cake in his teeth and let out a cry of frustration. _"You're him?! The one who ate the last slice?!"_ She was up now, ears flat as she paced in the darkness. _"Now I'm a fucking werewolf because of you, and you don't even have the decency to stop laughing at me_ or _get out of my head!"_

" _Just turn back,"_ Jared said.

She rolled her eyes again. _"If you haven't gathered from my thoughts already, that's what I've been trying to do for hours now."_

" _It's simple,"_ Paul said. _"First, you have to stop being so mad."_

" _Then?"_ she growled impatiently.

" _Then you have to feel it. Feel that you no longer want to be the wolf. Feel your humanity."_

Zora huffed in annoyance, the low, breathy rumble startling her. She sounded so much like a dog. How was she supposed to "feel her humanity" when all she could feel was the fur covering her body?

She began thinking of her mom and dad.

A distant memory unfurled like a drop of ink in water. It was simple – a sleepy Sunday morning filled with lulls of her mother, Autumn's, singing as she flipped pancakes; her father, Russell, sitting beside her at the kitchen table stirring large spoonsful of sugar into his black coffee. He moved from his chair to stand beside his wife, one arm hugging her waist as the other reached to steal a pancake from the stack. He held it in his mouth as her mom playfully swatted him.

"Be patient," Autumn said, all smiles and laughter.

Russell laughed as well, a joyful, muffled noise as he held the pancake between his teeth. He tore the portion that wasn't in his mouth and handed it to a young Zora.

"For you, love."

With a wide grin, she happily chewed on her piece of breakfast as her dad placed a kiss on her forehead.

A feeling of relaxation washed over Zora. She closed her eyes, and slowly, slowly, felt her wolf body disappearing.

Even in her human body, she could feel and sense everything—the air's moisture on her skin, the cool breeze of the night ruffling her hair, the gazes of two strangers standing before her…

She opened her eyes abruptly. Before her stood two incredibly tall males, both with identical haircuts, tribal tattoos adorning their left shoulders, and muscled physiques. The only difference was their facial expressions. The taller of the two was staring into her eyes with an extreme intensity, as if he were afraid to look anywhere else. And the other, the one who she immediately recognized as the cake thief, wore a sly grin as his eyes traveled down, and down, and down—

Zora realized she was stark naked. Immediately, her hands and arms moved to shield her body.

"This is what happens after turning human again?" she shouted incredulously. "I end up _naked_?!"

"Happens to all of us," Jared said. "When we phase, we usually remove all of our clothing or else it ends up ripped to shreds." He pointed to the remnants of her clothing strewn about.

"That's why we brought you this," Paul said, motioning towards the t-shirt dangling from his hand. "But first…" his voice trailed off as his eyes began to roam her body once more. They didn't get very far, however, as Zora's fist smashed into his nose.

She heard the cartilage break and smiled. "That's for violating me with your creepy stare." She snatched the shirt from his grip, pulling it over her torso in one, quick motion. Then, another hit, causing blood to spill.

"That's for making me turn into a mythical creature."

And a final hit to the jaw. She crouched over him, grinning as he cursed and cupped his bloody face. "And that was for eating the last slice of chocolate cake."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER THREE**

"A second female wolf? You've gotta be kidding me."

Zora sat at an unfamiliar kitchen table in an unfamiliar home, surrounded by a bunch of semi-familiar boys. While the kitchen itself was cozy – something sweet-smelling was baking in the oven, and a long-haired woman sang quietly to herself as she washed dishes – the overall atmosphere was tense. Dozens of brown eyes stared down at her, as if she were some newly discovered alien creature, and the intensity of their gazes made her uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat, remembering that she'd unwillingly gone commando, and felt heat blooming in her cheeks.

"You two bums could have at least brought me a pair of shorts," Zora grumbled unhappily, glaring at Jared and Paul. She started to cross her arms, but then decided to keep them at her sides, her hands tugging at the hem of her shirt instead.

"It was all I had on me." Jared offered a half smile. "Besides, everyone here has seen each other naked. You get used to it eventually."

His statement did nothing but further inflame her face. "What am I doing here anyway?" she asked hotly. "Who even lives here?"

"I do," the long-haired woman said, turning around to reveal a beautiful, mauled face. She smiled kindly at Zora, who noticed that the scarred corner of her lips strained to turn upward. "I'm Emily, matriarch of these forever-hungry boys, and soon-to-be married to their alpha."

 _The alpha._ Zora gave an unabashed snort. How ridiculous all of this sounded. What were the odds that a pack of werewolves would reside in La Push, and that she would just so happen to be one of them?

 _Guess I'm just one lucky son of a bitch,_ she thought.

"What's so funny?" Another boy said. He had a shy aura about him with a name that sounded something like "ember."

"What's funny…is that the legends were completely true," she said. "All these years of sitting around the campfire listening to what I thought were traditional stories, only to have them be my reality."

"It's a hell of an adjustment," a deep voice replied.

Zora looked to the doorway where a large figure stood. He was tall—taller than most of the boys in the room—with a hard face and a rigid stance. She could feel the authority, the power, the strength radiating off of him, and a primal instinct in her made her want to shrink back.

She knew instantly he was the alpha.

He moved towards Emily in two quick, long strides, wrapped an arm around her waist, and lifted her off the ground, all while placing gentle kisses along the length of her scar. Zora felt as if she'd just walked in on an extremely private moment and averted her eyes in embarrassment. She fixed her gaze on the other boys, who were all too busy rummaging through the refrigerator to notice. They all joined her at the table, tearing through cold leftovers ravenously.

"Do you guys not eat or something?" she said with mild disgust as she watched one boy produce a clean chicken bone from his mouth.

"We do," a younger boy said between bites. "It's just the wolf metabolism thing that makes us super hungry all of the time."

"Are there any other wolf tips I should know about?"

"Quite a few," the alpha replied, sitting across from her. "But first, I want to know who you are."

"I could ask you the same question," she said.

"Call me Sam. I'm the al—"

"Alpha. I know that already." She waved her hand dismissively, not noticing the shocked looks from the others as she interrupted him. Sam didn't seem to be bothered, however.

"So, who are you?" he repeated.

Zora cleared her throat, growing uncomfortable again underneath everyone's stares. She wasn't one to like all of the attention focused on her. "My name is Zora Medina. Yesterday, I was a regular human, but then a few hours ago, I turned into…a different version of myself, I guess."

Sam's tough expression softened. "We weren't really expecting any new wolves to join our ranks, especially another girl. So you gave us quite the surprise."

"Why is all of this even possible? I don't understand—like, at all."

All of the boys tensed at her question, as if the answer was one they didn't like hearing. She found it odd and a bit unsettling.

"We can phase into wolves for a specific reason," Sam said, his seriousness returning. "And it began with our ancestors. Do you remember the story of the 'Cold Ones'?"

"A little," Zora said, vague memories of her grandmother repeating tales of wolves fighting against the undead. They always spooked her. "Vampires, right?"

Sam nodded. "In the legends, the protectors of our tribe fought off many threats, the main one being vampires. Hence, the transformation from human to wolf."

"But I thought..." she paused, her heart beginning to race. "I thought that was just folklore."

"Not quite."

Zora frowned, a confused expression on her face.

"My great-grandfather was part of the last pack of wolves," Sam said. "Decades ago, they discovered a coven of cold, pale-skinned creatures hunting on Quileute land. Though the pack's original intentions were to destroy, these creatures were different. More civilized than the others the wolves had killed. And they had golden eyes."

Zora hadn't realized she was sitting on the edge of her seat until Paul snickered at her. She casually slid back, folding her arms across her chest. "What's the significance of the golden eyes?"

"They claimed their eyes were not red – not filled with blood – because they didn't consume the blood of humans, but the blood of animals. After some deliberation, chief and alpha Ephraim Black decided he would make a deal with the golden-eyed. He and his pack wouldn't kill them, and would allow them to reside near the area as long as they agreed to never feed on a human."

"So…vampires are real?" Zora said, earning a nod from Sam. She shuddered involuntarily. "And you've all turned – and me, I guess – because there are currently vampires in La Push?"

"They're not allowed to live on the rez," Paul said. "And it's not just any vampires. It's the same bloodsuckers that the old wolves made a treaty with."

"But why are they back?"

"Who knows," Sam began, "maybe because all of the people they used to know, who'd recognize them, have died already. Either way, their return is an issue."

He grew silent, his eyes averting to Emily. Zora watched as he stared at her scar, his expression a mixture of love and regret.

"There wasn't a need for more protectors until they came back. It was a couple of years ago, before the rest of the guys were old enough to shift. I was the only one of age, so I turned. I was the first and had no idea what was happening. Luckily, Quil's grandpa, Old Quil, was still around. He and Billy Black had grown up with grandfathers who'd shifted, so they knew what to do."

"It was only a matter of time until we joined him," the boy named Quil said.

"I thought the pack was complete, then we got a few young ones"—Sam looked at two gangly boys, both wearing bashful smiles—"and Seth and Leah. However, I wasn't anticipating you."

Zora usually had an arsenal of comebacks at the ready, but this time, she was unsure of what to say. Vampires and werewolves were real. And the stories she once believed were myths were undoubtedly true. And she happened to be a direct descendant of one of the early protectors. If she were prone to fainting, she would have fallen out of her chair a long time ago. Instead, she was anchored to her seat, her arms and legs feeling heavy now, bearing the inevitable weight of the pack's secrets.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but you've got a support system now," Sam said. "Not only do we protect others, we protect each other, too."

Zora's mind was reeling, second guessing her abilities, herself. Was she even powerful enough to fight off a vampire? Probably not. Did she want to be some mythical protector? Definitely not. But when she watched the La Push boys flock together in and out of school, it seemed that their willingness was unwavering, as if they didn't have a choice. And now, neither did she.

"I think I just need to go home and sleep…for seventeen hours," she said.

The younger boys chuckled, but Sam remained humorless.

"Are you sure about that? You need to be calm before you can be around others."

He was standing beside Emily, an arm once wrapped loosely around her waist now tightened as he spoke to Zora. She realized then that he was the reason for the scar on Emily's face, her neck, hidden underneath the fabric of her shirt as it traveled down her shoulder. She'd been thinking that it was the vampires she should fear, only to see that she was just as dangerous.

Sam new she had just found him out, and a solemn look immediately took hold of his face. "We wouldn't want any accidents to happen."


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FOUR**

If there was one thing Zora could get used to, it was Emily's baking. Although she was exhausted and in dire need of a shower, Zora was enjoying every moment of devouring her chocolate chip muffins. They were moist and sweet and everything she needed to feel comforted.

"I think I could eat this for the rest of my life," she mumbled through a full mouth.

Emily laughed. "You sure that's not your wolf hunger talking?"

Zora shrugged her shoulders, but now that it had been brought to her attention, her stomach felt as entirely _too_ empty. She could—and wanted—to eat two dozen batches more by herself. With difficult restraint, she reached for only one more muffin. She ate it slowly this time, savoring the taste and texture as she watched Emily scold the others for taking thirds, fourths, and attempting fifths.

"Either you boys pay me for all the ingredients bought or you buy them yourselves," she said sternly, slapping at large, greedy hands. "These muffins were supposed to last a couple of days, not a couple of seconds!"

Most of them wore the expression of a puppy being reprimanded for doing something wrong.

"It's not like we're trying to make you go broke," a younger boy, Seth, said. The others nodded their heads fervently. "We just really enjoy your cooking. And we're hungry…a lot."

Emily sighed. "I know, and I'm happy to cook for all of you. But you have to get better about saving some for the ones who aren't here yet."

"Leah's on her way," Seth replied. "And Jake—"

"Is with the leech lover," Paul interjected.

"Paul…" Sam warned.

A person stepped through the door threshold then, his eyes dark and glowering at a triumphant-looking Paul.

"You know I can hear you," the person said, his voice sounding strangely delightful to Zora's ears.

Suddenly, she was hyper-aware of the stranger's movements. She could feel the power of the shove he gave Paul, the quick swipe of a muffin, his body moving towards her. She was nervous now. She didn't know what this reaction was, if she was sensing danger or something else.

He took the seat in front of her, a smear of chocolate on his chin, and she felt as if her heart had inched up and lodged in her throat. There was a loud thrumming, which she was sure was her heart beat, but sounded like a band of drums banging an erratic rhythm.

The muffin she held fell from her hand as the stranger looked into her eyes.

He waved. "I'm Jacob."

* * *

"It was love at first sight."

Zora watched the smile that spread across her mother's face, slow and languid as she spoke of her husband. Zora was curled against her, her head nestled against the warm swell of her mother's chest.

She was eight years old, and in that age of her life, one of her favorite past times included hearing stories about her parents. The one of her parents' first meeting was one she knew well – and had no problem hearing over and over again.

"It was our junior year of college, and I was in the midst of studying for a big nursing test. I was sitting in the library one busy evening, an entire table to myself as I had papers and books and highlighters strewn across the table."

Zora's mother always used an exciting voice to narrate a story, the young girl's eyes wide and her attention engaged.

"I was frantic! I'd been trying to read while writing down what I read…when someone placed a cup of coffee and a grease-stained paper bag in front of me." Her mom paused, building the anticipation of the little girl clinging to her.

" _And_?" Zora said impatiently.

"And…then I looked up and saw a pair of tall legs. And then I looked up even more, and a young man with light brown eyes and a crooked-toothed smile was staring back at me." Her mom laughed at the expectant expression her daughter wore. "He didn't even tell me his name! Just said, 'I noticed you were in here for a couple hours now, and thought, maybe, you could use a treat.' Then he waved, turned his back and walked off."

That part always made Zora think incredulous thoughts. What would have happened if her father had never shown any act of random kindness? What if he'd bought her mom a plain, glazed donut instead of jelly-filled? What if she'd never even been born?

Rest assured, however, that the story never changed. Things panned out exactly as they should have.

"I went after him," Her mother said in the voice she always used at this part—soft and gentle, as if she were reliving the moment. "The treats were great…and delicious! But there was something about his eyes. They were kind and crinkled with a smile, and I knew that if I didn't follow, I would never meet someone like him again."

And so, eight-year-old Zora proclaimed to herself—and the stuffed animals she shared a bed with—that the only love she wanted was love at first sight. She spent much of her childhood, and some of her adolescence, peering into the eyes of any and every one of her classmates (which irritated them immensely). She searched for that "spark"—the singe of chemistry, astonishment, and otherworldly knowledge that that person was who she would be with.

She hoped it would feel the way her mom described it, like slowly submerging into a warm bath, sinking limb by limb until completely surrounded.

However, as Zora stared into Jacob's eyes, his expression twisted with confusion, and then unwanted understanding, she felt as if she were being swallowed by a black hole, her body left with no chance of escape as she was constricted by a massive force of gravity.

She fell deeper and deeper, and like a small, celestial body, was given no choice but to rotate around a larger and heavier force.

A planet orbiting the sun.

Zora imprinted on Jacob.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER FIVE**

All noise in the kitchen ceased as if a vacuum had swallowed the sound. No one made any movement and grew increasingly concerned at the stillness of Zora and Jacob. She stared at him through newborn eyes, all amazement and fear, wonder and confusion. And Jacob stared back at her, looking as if she'd just stolen something from him.

They all knew this wouldn't end well.

"You can't be serious," Jacob grumbled to himself. He was shaking his head, convinced that denial would somehow make everything better. It wasn't working, though, and an unmistakable tremor of anger passed through him.

"You can't be serious!" he shouted this time, the flat of his hand slamming down on the table.

Quil and Embry sprang into action, their hands on each of his shoulders within seconds, pushing him down with brute force. Jacob didn't struggle against his restraints, remaining still for one breath before he shot up again, knocking his friends over with the chair.

The loud noises and sudden movements pulled Zora out of her daze, and when she came to, she was nose-to-nose with Jacob. She could feel the warmth of his breath fan across her cheeks, smell the chocolate lingering in his mouth. She could see the wetness of his lips and the darkness of his eyes. _He's beautiful_ , she thought, her breath catching in her throat upon noticing the intensity of his stare.

Jacob seemed to be lost—in thought, in her. He noticed the same things about her—and more. He saw dark, sporadic freckles stippled across the bridge of her nose, the scar etched into her right eyebrow, the richness of her brown skin. He felt the heat rise in her face, could hear the acceleration of her heart. He thought she was beautiful, too. The realization planted a seed of anger, its roots growing and spreading within him.

With fury in his heart, his mind, and his voice, he said, "You've ruined everything," and quickly launched himself through the door.

Zora didn't have to look to know that he had made the transformation. She heard the familiar tearing of cloth and bone, heavy paws thudding against the earth as he ran through the trees. She felt empty suddenly, his absence more poignant than she expected. She was…sad. Sad that he was so angry with her even though they'd just met, sad that he was gone. And confused, as hell, as to why she felt that way.

"What…what just happened?" she asked to no one in particular, her eyes still focused on the trees. She was fighting the irritatingly strong urge to run after him.

The pack was still silent, never having witnessed an imprinting in person. They had seen Sam and Jared's through shared memory, and though they could feel all of the overwhelming sensations from their moments, watching it in real time felt stronger somehow, and more intimate.

Another person had burst through the door hastily, huffing with excitement and adrenaline. Her short, dark hair was disheveled, the gleam in her eyes wild. She was the other female wolf—the first.

"I just saw Jake's thoughts," Leah said. "The new wolf—she did it. She really did it."

Zora would soon understand the vigor of Leah's excitement, but in the meantime, took her reaction as taunting. "Did _what_?" she replied defensively, her eyes narrowed.

Leah stared back with just as much fire. "You imprinted. On a boy who happens to be in love with the world's biggest vampire ass-kisser."

Zora frowned in confusion. "I did…what, exactly?"

Leah laughed this time, the noise sounding empty, mirthless. "You've got a lot to learn, new girl."

* * *

In time, Leah had become Zora's best friend. Though she'd been given an explanation of what "imprinting" was, it was Leah who'd relayed to her the seriousness of the ancient tradition, how true and deep it was.

"You're bound to him," Leah said dryly, "for life."

Zora's stomach stirred nervously. She'd had few crushes in her day, never interested enough to actually seek out a person romantically. So the fact that she'd somehow found a "soulmate" was overwhelming.

"But what if I don't want to be 'bound' to him?" she held her head in her hands. "Don't I get a choice?"

"Seems like choice is the one thing we're not afforded."

Zora could hear the bitter edge in her voice. From the corner of her eye, she could see Leah struggling to maintain a hard exterior. Her brows were furrowed and her bottom lip quivered. Zora had an inkling of thought that the topic was more personal for Leah than she originally let on.

"Did…something happen?" Zora said, the question coming out slow and hesitant. She expected Leah to snap at her for not minding her own business, but instead, watched as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Something happened," Leah said, recounting the story of her and Sam. She told Zora that she was young and stupidly in love, that Sam was all she wanted. And when he'd run off after weeks of strange, inconsistent behavior and sudden physical changes, she was afraid she'd never see him again. When he returned, he was different – a new and improved version of Sam. And though she was willing to accept him, he could no longer accept her because he had new eyes, and his new eyes were fixed upon Emily Young, her older cousin.

She told Zora of the heart break, of Sam's assertion that he couldn't control it, that it was hardwired in him. She shared with her the pathetic-ness with which Sam professed his love to her, that he'd always love her, but that he was no longer _in_ love with her. She also told Zora about the accident: Sam shifting too close to Emily, scarring her forever. And that it brought them closer, made it possible for them to fall in maddening love.

"I used to wish that he'd injured her beyond repair, so that he could feel the pain of losing someone you love." Leah furiously wiped at another tear. "Or that it had been me instead. I liked to think that maybe he'd come back to me…but they belong to each other now. Nothing can come between them."

Leah explained that imprinting was absolute – it couldn't be changed and it couldn't be broken. The imprinter and the imprinted were destined for one another, though the latter had a choice: it could be romantic love or a friendly, platonic connection; it could offer something as little as protection. And if the imprinted wished for nothing – no connection, no friendship, no protection – then, so be it. Because the one who imprints now lived to please the imprinted.

It was with this information that Zora understood Leah – who she was, why she acted, thought, and spoke in a certain way. She was angry and deeply hurt, and having to join Sam's pack never allowed her any sort of closure. However, she gave Leah hope; if Zora could imprint, then that meant she could, too.

Although it eased Zora's mind that Leah could one day find her person, it opened up another door of possibility that Zora wished had been sealed shut. The ability to find a soul mate was embedded in the wolves, and though Zora had apparently found hers, she realized that Jacob, as a member of the pack, still had the ability to do the same.

Her heart sank.

* * *

 _AN_ :

Finally! Jacob has been introduced! Sorry not sorry for the wait (if you were waiting). I was originally going to split this into two chapters, but I felt like Leah's explanation was necessary. Plus, who doesn't love a long-ish chapter? I'm excited to include her as one of the main characters. Thanks to the one reviewer and the private message I was sent from another user about how much they liked this story. It means a lot to me! I hope you all enjoy this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SIX**

Zora found herself back on Leah's front porch, her can of beer now empty. That was how they spent most of their evenings together before having to patrol. Leah was old enough to buy alcohol, and they had discovered early on that they couldn't become intoxicated—no matter how many cans they downed.

"Something to do with our wolf metabolism, probably," Leah said, munching on Chex mix.

"I like to think it's because we're so powerful and badass that even drunkenness is no match for us," Zora replied, eliciting a loud laugh from Leah, who was currently holding their snack hostage.

As the second female member of the pack, Zora had inherited the same indignant attitude as Leah, or as Paul called it, "The Bitch Curse"—which he'd only been able to say once because Zora broke his arm afterwards. And not that she could help it, either. After her very first encounter with Jacob, the tension between them had only gotten worse. Zora was undeniably drawn to him, due to their connection, of course, but he was _certainly_ attractive. And when he smiled—she had seen it not in person, but through the shared wolf memory—his entire being lit up so beautifully it made her heart ache.

There was another part of her, though—her rational side that could look beyond the effects of the imprint—that wanted nothing to do with him. Because she was intelligent and independent and didn't want to bend to the will of some stupid wolf magic. She didn't know Jacob, had never even said a word to him, and seeing his reaction upon meeting her, didn't care to know him. The wolf magic won the majority of the arguments, however; and much to her chagrin, kept her linked to him.

Jacob didn't make it easy, either. Despite their dangerously high temperature, he left Zora feeling so cold. He didn't smile, never said hello, and didn't joke with her the way he did with the others. If they were near each other, he'd pretend she was nonexistent; he could look at her, and she knew that he was looking through her, as if she were invisible. He was the master of making her angry and miserable all at once.

His favorite form of torture was one that could change her from human to beast in seconds: thinking of Bella Swan. Leah wasted no time divulging to Zora the story of "the world's biggest vampire ass-kisser."

"She's the most annoying person I've ever met."

Zora learned all that she could from Leah's biased opinion: that Bella had an inclination for getting herself injured, that she worshipped her undead lover at his feet, that she hoped to join said lover's family as another undead member, and most importantly, that she was using Jacob.

"When her bloodsucker abandoned her, she turned to Jacob and clung to him like dog shit on a shoe," Leah said, snickering at her own joke. "Had it not been for her and all the vampire drama she threw herself into, you and I wouldn't be in this mess."

And messy, it was. A month after her transformation, Sam started training Zora for a fight that seemed inevitable. An army of newborn vampires was headed to Forks, led by an unknown source seeking bloodshed. And their target was none other than the infamous Bella Swan.

* * *

" _Remind me why we're doing this again?"_ Zora said as she trotted through the darkness.

" _Because it was an order from Sam,"_ Leah replied, sounding bored.

" _Not the patrolling…I meant why do_ we _have to fight? Why do_ we _have to protect some girl that we don't even care about?"_ And it was entirely true: Zora had absolutely no care for a girl she'd never met, a girl whose hands were wrapped too tightly around Jacob's heart. _"Let her get eaten. I wouldn't flinch."_

Leah snorted. _"Yeah, right. I know you don't even mean that."_

Zora gave her the side eye. _"How do you know?"_

" _Because we're in each other's heads. Duh."_

Zora was still getting used to sharing thoughts. Having unlimited access to the pack's brains was exhausting sometimes. When they were all in wolf form together, it was like having her eyes forcibly held open as a never-ending stream of images and words flew at her. Lately, the images she was subjected to were all memories of past, but recent, patrols. Snippets of dark nights spent running through the forest or along the coast, sightings of rogue foot prints, wolves play-fighting to pass the time, and Bella's house. Not only were they patrolling in La Push, but in Forks as well…at the Swan residence.

It had been a few weeks since the patrolling started, but the presence of the Cullens still startled Zora. Sam had agreed with them that they would take turns guarding Bella—as if she were a princess hidden away in a golden tower—and watch after her while the Cullens left to feed.

* * *

The first time Zora met the vampire family, she couldn't stop her body from shaking. It wasn't as if they looked scary; all of them were quite stunning with perfect hair, pale, symmetrical faces, and marble-sculptured bodies. But knowing what they were and what they were capable of still frightened her. She'd been assigned to patrol with Jacob that night, who was not happy he'd have to spend several hours with the person he melodramatically said was, "ruining his life."

They ran in silence. Zora wouldn't have minded if it was anyone else…but his silence actually hurt. Zora cursed the stupid imprinting, earning a huff of annoyance from the large russet wolf running next to her.

" _What?"_ she said defensively, embarrassed that she'd been caught thinking about him while they were sharing thoughts.

Jacob shook his head and ran forward, causing Zora's mood to worsen.

" _You can't ignore me forever. We're stuck with each other. For life."_

He growled. _"Well, we wouldn't be stuck if you hadn't—"_

" _Hadn't what?"_ she interrupted. _"Shifted? Ever been born?"_

" _That's not what I was going to say."_

" _That's what you make it seem like,"_ she said, her voice rising. It was the first conversation they were having and she was already emotional. Great. _"I didn't choose any of this, Jacob. I didn't choose you."_

Jacob's momentum faltered for a moment, feeling a strange spasm of pain in his chest. He hadn't expected Zora to be so…blunt. Or for her comment to make him feel as if he were being punched in the stomach.

" _You act like I purposely sabotaged you and your impossible plans to woo Bella."_

" _It's not impossible,"_ he muttered.

Zora laughed, a mirthless, growling noise leaving her muzzle. _"Right, sure…Bella's going to leave her immortal boyfriend for a teenage wolf."_

He pushed against her, her stride breaking for a moment. _"Despite what you think, she does care about me. I know she feels something – maybe not enough right now, but she will."_

She could feel the determination in his voice, could see the fantasies he played and replayed: he and Bella holding hands, going on ice cream dates, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear as his mouth moved closer to hers. She was angry, of course. More than anything, though, she ached; her muscles, her mind, and her heart. Looking into his mind was wearying.

Jacob could sense it, too. He saw, with his eyes, her movements slow, and with his mind, he saw an empty, grey expanse. She was trying to block her thoughts, though her resolve wasn't steely—he'd catch quick glimpses hiding behind the mist, images of his face and Bella's steeped in feelings of frustration and sadness.

He hated admitting it, but feeling Zora's sadness made him sad, too. Projecting those images into her mind stirred a river of guilt to flow within him. He may have wanted to hurt her feelings in the beginning, but he was started to realize that his actions were more damaging than he meant them to be. However, he wouldn't even feel this way if she hadn't imprinted on him. God damn it, why did she have to imprint on him, of all people? She could've ended up with someone who could actually be devoted to her, someone who could make her happy.

He sighed, but it sounded more like a deep grunt. He looked at Zora, who was still following after him. Even her wolf was beautiful; she was small and muscular like Leah, but her fur was sleek and dark as the night, save for a patch of white on her neck. He thought of the first time he met her and the details he memorized so quickly: dark freckles, scarred eyebrow, rich brown skin. He wondered if she was soft, and thought it'd be nice to trace his fingertips down her neck and along her collarbones, across her arms or the curve of her back…

Zora coughed, breaking Jacob's mental trance. Had he been his regular, human self, his cheeks would've taken on a bright, scarlet hue. Of course he'd get caught thinking of her _while_ mentally linked to her.

" _What was that?"_ she asked, sounding amused and slightly breathless.

" _Nothing,"_ he said quickly, running past her again. This time, she had no trouble keeping up.

" _You sure? It didn't look like nothing."_

Jacob could hear the smile in her voice. The coldness of her mind was melting thanks to his slip-up. He groaned. _"Just drop it, Zora."_

It was the first time he'd called her by her name. Though he wasn't aware of the significance, it made Zora continue their run with a big, wolfy grin.

" _Sure thing, Jacob."_

* * *

 _AN:_

Updated, at last! Thanks to everyone who left a review, followed, and favorited. I know this one seems like a filler chapter as well, but I'm just trying to develop their relationship logically and show the process. So please, bear with me as this story progresses!

And to **Monica** : this may be a story where Jacob tries to fight the imprint-but only at first. Remember that he still has the ability to imprint, so I'd like to think that he's not as affected by it as the others. Not to say that he can't feel any of it _at all_ , because he definitely can, he just has a bit more leeway. :-)


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

As Zora and Jacob broke through the trees, they were immediately enveloped in an overwhelming scent of burnt sugar. Two pairs of pitch black eyes stared back at them.

"Always a pleasure seeing you, Jacob," said one of the vampires, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Jacob rolled his eyes. _"Kiss my furry ass."_

If Zora hadn't been both petrified and repulsed, she would have burst into laughter. However, she remained behind Jacob, crouched to the ground and extremely cautious. They were standing in front of vampires, after all.

" _They won't hurt you,"_ Jacob said, his voice oddly soft.

"He's right," the sarcastic vampire said. "We're not here to hurt you, or anyone else. We're all working together to protect the same person."

The vague mentioning of Bella immediately ignited a slew of negative thoughts to rush through Zora's mind. She couldn't control it – Bella was her competition.

A snarl ripped through the sarcastic vampire's throat, making Zora shrink back with fear.

"Bella is none of those things you picture her to be," he hissed. "Least of all, your _competition_."

Still crouched, her head cocked to the side as if she were a confused dog. _"Jacob…"_ she whispered in her head, _"why does it seem like he's reading my mind? And what is that stench? It's horrible."_

"You don't smell that great yourself," the vampire said, his face wrinkled with disgust. "And the _stench_ you're referring to is how I'd lure in prey…if I fed on humans. It's how we draw them in—our scent, our features, even the sound of our voices were crafted so perfectly that no human could resist. Also, I _am_ reading your mind. It's an ability I developed after I was turned."

Now, it was Zora's turn to snarl. She flashed her fangs. _"A mind-reading vampire? He's completely dangerous! We have to get out of here, Jacob."_

" _Slow your roll,"_ he said casually. _"He's as harmless as a rabbit."_

She shook her head anyway. _"How can we trust him? Or the big one next to him?"_ She eyed the second vampire, who was massive in both stature and muscle.

"Because we're allies," replied the sarcastic vampire. "And please, stop calling me 'the sarcastic vampire.' My name is Edward."

* * *

Edward, and the burly vampire whose name was Emmett, left Zora and Jacob shortly after they arrived to quench their thirst. The thought of the marble-like figures descending upon innocent animals made Zora feel queasy. However, the thought of the vampire threat coming to town and feeding freely on Forks residents made her feel much worse.

" _Are you always this pessimistic?"_ Jacob said, lying on the ground lazily.

Zora, who was upright and pacing, shook her head. _"I'm not pessimistic, I'm just being realistic."_

Jacob huffed. _"Well, please turn your 'realistic' thoughts down a couple notches because they look like gory scenes from horror movies."_

He'd been hoping Bella would come down to see him, but she was asleep by the time he and Zora arrived. He could hear the movement of her mattress as she tossed and turned, the mumbling of incoherent words that left her mouth. He wanted to climb up to her room the way he'd done in the past, but the anxious she-wolf next to him kept him on the ground.

 _"Jacob…are you scared at all?"_ Zora said softly. She'd stopped pacing and faced the darkness of the trees.

 _"Scared of what? The bloodsuckers?"_

 _"Yeah…what if there's a lot of them, and we actually have to fight, and what if someone gets kil—"_

" _Zora,"_ Jacob said assertively. He got up from his spot and moved to stand in front of her. Their eyes locked and it was like falling into the abyss all over again. _"Honestly, yeah, I'm a little scared. But something that comforts me is knowing that we were born to do this. We were born to destroy vampires. Our size, teeth, strength, even our speed were all given to us because it's what we're supposed to do. And when the time comes, we'll tear them apart."_

He began thinking about the first time he killed a vampire; the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins as he and his pack mates surrounded the bloodsucker; a sound like metal being torn as they ripped his limbs from his body; his head separated from his shoulders, falling to the ground. Pre-wolf Jacob would have detested the blatant display of violence, but in that moment, he felt only satisfaction and triumph.

Zora, watching the event unfold in his thoughts, was filled with awe. The destruction was both terrifying and powerful, and seeing the graceful teamwork between Jacob and the others made her feel less afraid.

Still facing the trees, she glimpsed the darkness with hope.

* * *

 _ **AN:**_

First, I want to apologize to my readers for taking so long to update! Life happens, as usual, and I hadn't found the time to sit down and complete this chapter. But it's finally done! So thank you for being patient. Second, I hope this wasn't too confusing. This chapter is a continuation of _half of the previous chapter_ , when Zora is remembering the first time she had to patrol with Jacob. So, both are basically past events. I was re-reading the previous chapter and realized I should have made that more clear. So, sorry, again! Third, I know this one is kind of short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I already have the next chapter written, and it still needs some edits, but I may post very soon...

Happy reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"Again!"

Zora huffed in annoyance at Sam's command, her energy slowly dwindling. She and the others had been practice-fighting for hours, and it seemed as though Sam wasn't feeling kind enough to let them rest any time soon.

She was battling Embry, who beat her in all of the important categories: skill, speed, and strength. She obviously thought it was an unfair match; he'd been a wolf longer than her and had more training, so he was always winning. Sam didn't care much for her complaints, however, and continued pairing them. She was only able to catch him off guard once, but hadn't been able to bring him down. Luckily, he wasn't the type to brag.

The same couldn't be said for Paul. "He's whooping your ass!" he shouted, hollering with laughter. "Are you sure you're even a wolf?"

Zora wanted to end her practice with Embry and fight Paul instead. Her anger rose as he continued to taunt her, her body language changing. The fatigue seemed to have dissipated, replaced by a newfound hunger to battle. She pounced on Embry, locking her teeth around one of his hind legs. Unprepared for her surge in speed, he yelped as she pulled him to the ground.

"I told you that would work," Paul said to Jacob. They laughed together, but Jacob was genuinely pleased with Zora's progress. After a few weeks of patrolling with her and having frequent heart-to-heart conversations, Jacob began to show her more kindness. She was new to this world, anxious and scared about the very near, very violent future…but resilient, too.

Zora released Embry from her grip and let out a howl of excitement. _Of course_ , she thought, all it would take was some smart ass comment from Paul to make her mad enough. Although she _may_ have appreciated the help, she definitely wouldn't thank him because that would only feed his already large ego. She hid behind a tree to shift—she still wasn't used to sharing her nudity with the others—and pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. When she emerged, her eyes immediately zeroed in on Embry's bare ass. He was having a casual conversation with Sam and Quil, while being completely naked.

She coughed, her cheeks blazing with heat. "Uh…Embry…shouldn't you put on some clothes?"

He turned around, oblivious to the fact that he was giving Zora a full frontal shot of his nether regions. "Nah, it's not a big deal," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "No one cares."

 _I do_ , she wanted to grumble, shielding her eyes. She knew she'd have to accept it, though; nudity was part of the La Push wolf package.

"Damn it," she said under her breath, cursing at her stupid pun. She shook her head and faced Sam. "So, how'd I do?"

He smiled. "You did well—"

"Thanks to me!" Paul interjected.

"However," Sam continued, "you need to learn how to harness your strength from another source—something other than anger."

Zora frowned. "What do you mean 'another source'? After I got angry, I was able to perform well."

Sam opened his mouth to speak, but a quick look from Jacob stopped him. The alpha gave a nod of approval.

"He means that you can't always rely on anger to get you through a fight."

Jacob was walking towards Zora, whose body tensed immediately—from nervousness or attraction, he wasn't sure…but found himself enjoying her reaction. "When you take on a bloodsucker," he said, now standing in front of her, "you may not be angry. You may be so scared that you won't want to move. But you'll have to push past that fear and focus. Focus on the fact that you'll have to save yours—or someone else's—life."

She was _trying_ to listen to everything he said, but he smelled of pine trees and sweat, his torso bare, and found that she could not take his advice and "focus" with such an appealing combination presented to her. She managed to respond with a meager "okay," and after realizing how ridiculous she sounded, looked around and noticed most of her pack mates wearing smirks.

"What are you looking at?" she said hotly.

"The drool," Leah replied smugly, pointing to her chin. "Your mouth was hanging open."

Zora put a hand to her chin immediately, and after feeling no such thing, narrowed her eyes at Leah. "Guess you and I are fighting next."

"My pleasure," Leah said, bursting into her grey wolf. Zora followed after, and the two sprang for each other, not caring that they'd ripped more of their clothing.

* * *

It was well into the evening, yet many large bodies crowded Sam and Emily's house. The couple decided that the wolves needed a relaxing dinner after such a long day, and were working together to create a huge, delicious meal.

"You might as well put on same mascara and an apron," Paul yelled to Sam from the living room. He and Jared were sprawled across the couch, plunging big, greedy hands into a bag of chips as Quil flipped through channels.

Zora was sitting at the kitchen table, laughing as Sam ceased his vegetable-chopping to throw a fork at Paul's head. He caught it, of course, but looked offended to see Sam throwing something at him.

"So, Zora…" Emily began, standing over a cast-iron pan popping with oil. "A little birdy told me that you're making some fighting improvements."

"And who would that 'little birdy' be?" she replied, peeling potatoes.

Emily turned her head towards Sam, causing Zora to smile sheepishly.

"I haven't improved that much," she said. "The only reason I was able to take down Embry was because Paul was being an ass and got under my skin, as usual."

"You're welcome!" he shouted again, his mouth full of chips.

"An improvement is an improvement," Sam said, grinning at her comment. "Plus, your speed and strength have increased, and your reflexes are getting sharper. Remember that the small things are still important."

Zora was smiling again, her cheeks warm. "Thanks, Sam."

"Don't let those compliments go to your head," Leah said, walking into the kitchen. She nodded at Emily and ignored Sam. "I was still able to beat you."

"Not for long," Zora said playfully. She could see that Leah was uncomfortable in close proximity with her ex and her cousin; her body was rigid and turned away from the couple. She never chose to hang out at their house, but did so when Zora was there. In return, Zora would leave with her soon.

"What's for dinner?" Seth asked, walking in a minute after his sister. He sat down next to Leah, his face bright and joyful. That was one thing Zora liked about him: he was always smiling.

"Mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, corn bread, fried chicken, and for dessert…ice cream," Emily said.

"We don't deserve you," he said, earning a hair tousle from Emily. Leah rolled her eyes. It looked like she wanted to say something, but held her tongue.

Soon, the vegetables were roasted, the potatoes mashed, corn bread baked, chicken fried to perfection, and empty stomachs rumbling. The amount of food Emily and Sam cooked was enough to feed three families, but it was easily demolished. Zora, who was a newly-turned vegetarian, filled her plate high with potatoes and vegetables, and helped herself to numerous servings of corn bread. She was slumped against her chair, her stomach full and puffed out. Then Jacob walked in, and she straightened up immediately.

"Quil made plates for you two," Emily said, looking content underneath the arm Sam draped over her shoulders.

Jacob and Embry said thanks in unison and headed for their food. Embry took the seat next to Zora, and she didn't miss the look of irritation that flashed across Jacob's face. He took an empty seat across from her, his mouth set in a straight line.

"How'd it go with the leeches?" Paul said, shoveling spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth.

"Fine," Jacob said firmly. "There haven't been any new sightings for them either, and they haven't found any tracks."

Sam sighed. "So the vampire is still on track to come to Forks?"

"That's what Carlisle said. He's been paying attention to reports of missing people in Seattle. About four more people have disappeared this month. He's almost one-hundred percent sure the mystery vampire is creating an army."

"Whoever it is, they're trying to gain strength in numbers."

Jacob nodded. "Apparently, the little one, Alice, is having some trouble seeing them."

"What do you mean?" Sam said. He was sitting forward, his hands clasped.

"She thinks that the mystery vamp knows about the blind spots in her visions, and is using them to their advantage by hiding behind them."

Spoons and forks, once clanging against bowls and plates, had suddenly stopped. All of the wolves had gone silent.

"So this vampire is like, five steps ahead of us?" Quil said.

"More like two steps," Jacob replied, pausing to tear into his chicken. "Not ahead of us, though. Just the Cullens, but they don't seem to be that worried. Alice is positive the mystery vamp doesn't know that we're involved. Plus her mate, Jasper, has experience fighting newborns. He and Carlisle think it would be a good idea for all of us to train together."

"They want _us_ to train with _them_?" Leah said with disgust.

"Yes. Jasper wants us to be prepared; we've never fought a large group of vampires before."

"Absolutely not," Jared said. "There's no way I'm being trained by a leech to kill other leeches."

"Who do they think we are? Amateurs?" Paul questioned.

Most of the guys, and Leah, shared similar sentiments; Seth found it to be an exciting idea; and Zora remained quiet. She wasn't sure how to feel other than nervous.

The protests grew louder and louder, until Sam said, "Enough." Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"Jasper is right. It'd be wise to take him up on his offer."

A chorus of groans filled the room.

"But—"

"Think clearly, everyone," he said. "We were able to destroy Laurent together, but he was just one vampire. We may be facing _dozens_ this time, and they already have us beat in speed and strength because they're new. I'd rather be trained by an experienced vampire than go in blind. If anything happened to any of you…" he trailed off, the last part too hard to imagine.

Everyone knew he was right. Their duty was to protect others, but they had to keep each other safe as well.

"Fine," Paul said first, breaking the silence. "I'm in, but if that big ass vampire looks at me funny—"

"Dude, shut up," Embry said, laughing,

The rest joined in, except for Leah, who didn't find Paul's antics entertaining. "Are we done here?" she said impatiently. "My mom is expecting Seth and I home soon."

"Sure," Sam said, offering a half-smile.

Leah didn't budge.

"Don't forget, the bonfire is on Saturday."

She nodded, and headed outside quickly. Seth bid everyone goodnight and hugged Emily before departing.

"I should get going, too," Zora said. She tried to beat her mom home most nights because she didn't want her to ask questions. Her mother had no idea about Zora's transformation, and for her safety, Zora had to keep it that way.

"Are you feeling alright?" Embry said. "You were pretty quiet tonight."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine…just overwhelmed, a little. And tired."

He gave her a reassuring pat on the arm. "It's okay to be worried. You're strong, though. Don't forget that."

She smiled. "Thanks, Embry. Are we still on for practice tomorrow?"

He smiled as well, nodding his head.

Zora was out of her seat now, and after hugging Emily and wishing everyone else a good night, was headed towards the door.

"Wait!" Jacob called out.

She paused, turning around to face him. He was staring at her with an intense and unreadable expression. Had the moment been with anyone else, she would have laughed at how dramatic they were being. He wasn't just anyone, though. Her heart pounded faster, and it didn't help that every time she and Jacob had an interaction, everyone would watch them.

She decided that she'd play it cool, and nonchalantly raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I could give you a ride home…if you'd like."

She knew there was a number of ways she could respond. The imprint-controlled Zora wanted to give an eager "yes," but her rational, free-willed side wanted to say "no," that she didn't need protection or some other macho form of assistance. The way he shoved his hands into his pockets, though, as if he felt both nervous and vulnerable, was so endearing that her hesitance melted.

"Of course."

Jacob's face brightened instantly. He grabbed the extra plate of food made for Billy and headed towards her.

"Make sure you give her a nice, _long_ ride," Paul said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Zora and Jacob both yelled "Shut up!" and rushed to Jacob's car with burning, red faces.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER NINE**

Zora and Jacob sat in his car in silence. The drive to her house was short; she didn't live far from Emily and could have easily made it in less time had she ran. She didn't usually mind silence with another person—as long as it was someone she was comfortable with—but Jacob made her stomach flutter with nerves. He'd played music to fill the air with a noise other than the sound of their breathing, but now, they remained in front of her house, unmoving and anxiously waiting for the other person to speak.

"Thanks for taking me home," Zora finally said, idly playing with her fingernails.

"No problem," Jacob said. He looked to be deep in thought about something, his brow furrowed.

Maybe, Zora thought, he was contemplating professing his love to her and his decision to leave Bella behind forever. And then they would run off into the sunset holding hands and start a new life in another state with their five adopted cats.

"Yeah, right," she muttered to herself.

"What was that?" Jacob asked.

"Oh, um…nothing," she said quickly. _Thank you universe that we're not in wolf form._ She noticed that he was still frowning, his hands now gripping the steering wheel tightly. It was obvious he was bothered by something, and she guessed he probably wanted to address whatever it was, but didn't have the desire to initiate the conversation. His behavior must have been the manlier version of sighing in a repeated, exaggerated manner until asked what was wrong. Zora almost rolled her eyes. _Men and their fragile masculinity_.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

At the same time, though, Jacob blurted, "Is something going on with you and Embry?"

They blinked at each other, both not expecting those words to leave his mouth. Jacob cursed at himself as soon as the sentence left him; he was supposed to ease into the topic, but he was so irritated that he spoke before he meant to.

Zora sat with a wide-eyed expression, her mouth agape. The question was so random that she couldn't formulate a response. Was something going on between Embry and her? Of course not. She liked him, but she liked him in a strictly platonic way. He was becoming a close friend of hers, and that was it.

Jacob watched her mouth open to say something and then close abruptly. Was she trying to think of a good way to tell him that there _was_ something going on, some feelings shared between them? He could feel his irritation rising and began rambling. "He chose to sit next to you today, and I saw the way you looked at each other. Plus, he's even been helping you train outside of group practice, and he's a pretty nice, good-looking guy…so if you like each other, then—"

"Jacob," Zora interrupted. She placed a hand on his forearm, the muscle underneath tensed until she touched him. She was smiling softly, but her smile was hiding the wide grin she wanted to wear.

He was jealous. Jacob Black was _actually_ jealous. If he was unhappy about a possible romance blooming between Embry and her, that had to mean he _did_ feel something for her. They could have been the smallest of feelings, but they were feelings nonetheless. She was so giddy that she wanted to laugh, but she kept her enthusiasm hidden.

"We're just friends," she continued. "He offered to give me some extra help because we're basically training partners with Sam always pairing us together, and he sat next to me because…we're friends. We're comfortable around each other."

Jacob's face grew hot with embarrassment. He was angry for no reason. He knew that Embry would never intentionally hurt him, and Zora – well, she was staring at him as if he were the only person in the world.

"Sorry…about that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's okay," Zora said, still smiling. "I get it."

"Areyouuncomfortablearoundme?" he blurted again, the words so rushed they sounded like an unintelligible noise.

"What was that?"

"I said…are you uncomfortable around me?"

"Oh…" Zora breathed. She was surprised he wanted to have this conversation. "Why do you ask?"

"You said you were comfortable around Embry…and I wanted to know if you felt that way…about me."

She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Honestly, Jacob, you make it hard for me to feel at ease."

He was expecting her to say no, but wasn't prepared for the strong feelings of regret and disappointment in himself. He knew he'd made it difficult for her—giving her the cold shoulder, pretending she didn't exist. His behavior was childish and unwarranted. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet he'd punished her for no reason.

He sighed and shook his head. "Zora, I…I just want to apologize…for everything. I'm sorry about the way I've been treating you. I'm pretty embarrassed, actually. I was being ridiculous and dumb and you didn't deserve any of it."

Zora couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips. She'd never felt so much happiness from an apology before. More importantly, it seemed that she and Jacob could head in the right direction from here.

"Thanks for apologizing," she said.

Jacob was smiling, too, and now they were both staring at each other with soft grins, and Zora had suddenly realized that the hand she placed on his arm was sitting on his thigh. Her eyes widened and she almost choked on her own saliva. Quickly, she retracted her hand, but before she could move it away completely, Jacob grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," he said, his voice low.

He was looking at her the way boys in romantic movies looked at girls whilst sitting in a car, willing time to stand still so the moment could last forever. He wore an expression of amazement, and Zora wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve such a look. Then he was leaning towards her – slowly, cautiously, brown eyes smoldering, lips parted. And taking a cue from all of the girls kissed by boys in romantic movies, she closed her eyes.

His breath was warm against her mouth, and _just_ before their lips could touch, he murmured, "Bella."

Her eyes flew open. She moved away so quickly that her back hit the passenger door with a loud thud. Why would he say her name? What did _she_ have to do with anything?

Jacob, whose stomach had gone from feeling light to heavy and sinking, noticed her curling fists; he tried to save face and stammered, "I-I invited her to the council bonfire this weekend. I think it would be cool…if you two met." He watched as her body began to tremor, as if she were a geyser ready to burst. He knew very well what would happen if he made her angrier.

"What's…happening to me?" she shouted, stuttering with every shake. She felt like she was going to explode and hadn't felt that way since she first shifted.

"You're furious," he said, his hands raised to show he was no threat. "If you turn, you'll tear me, and this car, apart."

"You deserve it," she growled. The wolf within was fighting for dominance – and winning. She knew she needed to leave before she lost total control. Gripping the handle so tightly she left finger indents, Zora pushed the door open and threw herself from the car. As soon as her feet touched the ground, her body shed its skin. She headed for the trees, leaving a trail of ripped clothing behind her.

Still sitting in the driver's seat, Jacob desperately stared after her. "Fuck."

* * *

 ** _AN:_**

Fuck, indeed, dear Jacob.

Apologies for the long wait! I was really excited to get this chapter published because they're finally getting somewhere - even though he clearly messed up. I hope you all enjoy. I'm looking forward to continuing this story! :)


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER TEN**

"Hold up—you and Jacob almost _kissed_?!" Leah shouted, her eyes wide.

She and Zora were walking to the nearest gas station to buy snacks. It was their afternoon routine: Zora would be dismissed from school, head over to Leah's place, and coax her out of the house with the promise of Chex mix and shit-talking.

"Yes," Zora sighed. "We almost kissed, but he said Bella's name right before it was about to happen, and I nearly gutted him."

The almost-kiss had happened less than 24 hours ago, so the disappointment was still very fresh. It took Zora hours to calm down enough to shift back into a human; she roamed the forest angrily, replaying the incident in her head again and again, imagining herself inflicting different forms of torture on Jacob each time. Jared and Sam were patrolling while she turned and immediately saw what happened. Although both of them had imprints, they didn't understand Zora's _unique_ situation. Their imprints accepted them, after all. They tried to calm her down, but the effort was lost. She drowned them out with raging thoughts.

"That _sucks_ ," Leah said. "You want me to kick his ass?"

"Uh, yeah, I'll even help you."

They both started to laugh, but Zora paused to groan loudly. "Everyone probably already saw what happened! That's so embarrassing." She looked down at the ground, roughly kicking rocks as they walked. She wasn't angry anymore, just hurt. Jacob was making it clear that Bella would always come first, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. If his choosing her continued to last…she may have to forget about him entirely.

"Take those sad hands out of those sad pockets," Leah said. "He knows he got to you, so now you have to show him that you're a hard ass who won't wallow in her own misery."

Despite the sadness she felt, Zora smiled. Since she and Leah became friends, Leah made more of an effort to show emotion and be vulnerable. Though it was difficult, Zora challenged her anyway. She wanted to show Leah that happiness could also come from true friendships, and in return, Leah wanted to make sure Zora didn't end up like herself—bitter and detesting the world.

" _Fiiiiine_ ," Zora said, "but I don't want to talk to him."

"That's alright," Leah replied, grinning. "Now, do me a favor and go flirt with the cashier while I pocket some chocolate bars."

"Me?" Zora said incredulously. She was laughing. "He likes you more."

Leah rolled her eyes. "Then _I'll_ flirt with him while _you_ pocket the chocolate bars. But if he catches on, you have to flash him."

Zora snorted. "Deal."

* * *

Zora arrived home before the sun began to set and expected to walk into an empty house. As she opened the door, though, she was greeted with the tantalizing scent of sautéed garlic.

"Who's there?" she called out, walking towards the kitchen slowly. She kept her fists clenched, ready to swing if she needed to.

"Who do you think?" the person called back, laughing softly.

She rushed into the kitchen and was pleasantly surprised to see her mom, Autumn, at the stove. "Mom, what are you doing home already?"

"I was able to get off early," she said, smiling warmly. "Dr. Cullen noticed how hard I've been working and gave me a little break."

Zora froze at the name. Dr. Cullen, as in… _vampire_. She had always known her mom worked alongside a Carlisle Cullen, but didn't make the connection that he was part of _the_ Cullen clan until now. She almost screamed.

Autumn frowned. "You okay, honey? You don't look so good." She was about to place a hand on Zora's forehead, but she dodged it swiftly.

"I'm fine. Just a little…tired," she said. Zora knew her mom would panic if she touched her freakishly warm skin.

"At least give me a hug," Autumn said, and before Zora could protest, she was pulled into a shockingly strong embrace. As expected, her mom instantly recoiled. "You're burning up. You have a serious fever, Zora."

"No-no I don't. I'm fine, I promise," Zora said reassuringly. "I was…exercising before I came home. That's why I feel so warm."

She knew it was a bad lie; she could see the disbelief written all over her mom's face. Plus, she worked in the medical field, so she could identify an ailment in a second. Still, her mom didn't push for the truth, which Zora was thankful for because she wouldn't be able to tell her—no matter how hard she tried.

"Let's eat," Autumn said after a minute of scrutinizing Zora. "I made ravioli."

* * *

After three generous helpings of pasta—that her mom watched her devour with astonishment—Zora was perched on her bed, glaring at her English homework. She could easily calculate an equation, but had no idea what iambic pentameter was and why Shakespeare even bothered to use it. Her mom was lying next to her, her nose buried in a horror-mystery novel. She and Zora didn't spend time together often, and felt it was important they be near each other as much as possible. Zora was all she had.

"Zora?"

"Hmm?"

"You seem different."

Zora's frown smoothed out and she set down her pencil. That was definitely not what she was expecting her mom to say. "What do you mean?" she replied, feeling slightly perturbed.

"You seem…stronger, somehow. And more distant."

She looked at her mom, whose face was filled with concern. Zora didn't resemble her much; her mom had high cheekbones and soft features. Her hair was lighter and her brown skin was without freckles. Faint frown lines were carved between her eyebrows and prominent dark circles sat below her eyes. Years of working long shifts at the hospital had taken its toll. Still, she was beautiful and the most caring person Zora knew. A knot twisted in her stomach at having to withhold the truth.

"I told you, Mom, I've been exercising," Zora said, smiling half-heartedly. "I've even put on some muscle." She flexed one of her arms and made an exaggerated straining noise, but her mom didn't budge.

"You've grown taller, too. I didn't realize seventeen-year-old girls still went through dramatic growth spurts."

"It was probably just late," Zora replied nervously. She was beginning to sweat.

Autumn sighed. "Zora, honey…I also know that you've been sneaking out most nights."

Zora's heart almost leapt from her chest. She thought she'd been extremely careful, that her mom was fast asleep, too worn out to wake in the middle of the night. Apparently, she was wrong.

"Mom, I can explain—"

"Are you involved in something illegal? Like drugs…or steroids?"

Zora couldn't help the loud laugh that burst from her mouth. "Mom! No, I'm not taking drugs or steroids. You know I'd never do that."

"How am I supposed to know," she said, still looking worried. "You don't share anything with me anymore."

And it was true. Zora couldn't share any of the pack's secrets—not even to her own mother. It was an executive order from Sam that she literally couldn't disobey. But how badly she wanted her mom to know that she could turn into a wolf…and vehemently question her about who the hell passed it onto her.

"There are some things I just…that I want to keep to myself," Zora said. "I can promise you, though, that I'm not in any kind of danger. I'm safe."

It was another lie she had to force past her teeth, but her mom took the bait. She sighed and stroked Zora's hair. "Okay, that makes me feel a little better."

The pair smiled at each other, and then Zora laid her head on her mom's lap. Having her hair stroked was the ultimate comfort; her eyes became heavy and she suddenly realized how tired she was. The late night patrols were taking their toll as well. She could have fallen asleep nestled against her mom, but a loud knock at the door pulled her from her peace.

She groaned. "Who is that?"

"I don't know, but it's a little late for visitors." Autumn removed herself from Zora's bed and went to answer the door. Zora lay with her legs and arms spread out, ready to fall asleep when her mom called, "Uh, Zora, there's someone here to see you."

She groaned again and rose from her bed. As she trudged down the dimly lit hall, she grumbled a slew of swear words, her face pinched with irritation. The swearing stopped abruptly when she saw who was standing outside. It was Embry…and he happened to be shirtless.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, her eyes wide. "And why are you half-naked?"

"We were supposed to practice tonight," he said, crossing his arms to awkwardly cover his chest. "I didn't know your mom was going to be home or I would have worn a shirt."

Autumn raised both of her eyebrows. "What are you two _practicing_ for when I'm not home?"

Zora was internally dying of humiliation. She was sure her face was bright red as she said, "A-A weightlifting competition." She was quickly running out of lies to tell.

"Yeah!" Embry joined in enthusiastically. "I work…until the evening, so we only have time to practice after my shift is over."

Zora nodded fervently. "Exactly. And the reason he isn't wearing a shirt is because…"

"I wanted Zora to look at my muscles," he nearly shouted. "I've been working out extra hard…and I wanted to see…if she'd notice?"

It was clear he was also uncomfortable and utterly terrible at lying. Zora had a strong urge to slam her head through a wall and not wake up for the next ten years. "Well, they look great!" she said and purposely slapped him on the chest roughly.

Embry chuckled, but it sounded more like he was trying to disguise a cry of pain. He and Zora stared awkwardly at the short woman standing in front of them, whose expression was a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

"Well…" Autumn began, pausing to look between the two of them. "Don't have her home too late, Embry."

Zora released the breath she was holding. "Thanks, Mom. Don't wait up for me. I'll be back soon." With that, she ran out of the house before her mom could say anything else. Embry followed after her, and they didn't stop until they were deep within the trees.

"That…was so dumb," she said exasperatedly. "I hate lying to her. I'm horrible at it."

"Same here," Embry said. "My mom doesn't know about me either. She knows I sneak out, though, and probably thinks I'm some kind of delinquent. She confronted me a couple times and even threatened to kick me out."

Zora sighed. Why did Sam have to make such absolute rules? Why was he out to make their lives so damn hard?

"Not only does my mom think I'm on steroids, now she probably thinks we're fooling around while she's gone _and_ taking steroids together."

They both stared at each other for a second before bursting into a loud fit of laughter.

"That sounds super fucked up," Embry said.

They were still laughing together, and Zora began thinking about how much she enjoyed his company. It was easy being around him, easy to talk and laugh. She had none of these things with Jacob, only tension and constantly hurt feelings. The slightest thought of him made her laughter die down until she fell completely silent.

Embry could feel that the atmosphere had suddenly changed and his laughter stopped, too. "I saw what happened."

"Super embarrassing, right?" she said, digging the toe of her shoe into the dirt.

"I almost died of secondhand embarrassment watching you two."

Zora lightly punched him on the shoulder, managing a small grin despite not wanting to smile. "Shut up."

"Seriously, though, I think he'll come around. He's in denial, but it's clear he likes you."

"But Bella—"

"Screw Bella."

She was surprised by such an assertive statement. She knew that Embry and Quil considered Bella a friend and hadn't expected Embry to say anything negative about her. But his encouraging tone let Zora know he was on her side instead.

"Yeah, she's nice and all, but you're a lot cooler than her," he said, smiling. "Plus, you've got bigger biceps. You're clearly the better choice."

Zora rolled her eyes, smiling wide now. "Thanks, Embry."

"No problem. Now cheer up 'cause we're in for a long night of practicing and patrolling."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_

Hello, my lovely readers! The next chapter has finally arrived. You'll notice that this one is pretty filler-ish, but I promise more drama-filled content is on the way. In the mean time, enjoy some more BFF interaction between Zora/Leah and Zora/Embry and the first appearance of Zora's mom! I didn't want to be one of those stories where it's known a character has a parent, yet they're never mentioned.

To everyone that has taken the time to leave a comment: thank you! It seriously makes me smile every time you all share your thoughts. I write this story for me and for you. :-)


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Saturday had finally approached, and Zora was not happy about it. Attendance to the council meeting was mandatory, meaning she had no choice but to be in the presence of _the world's biggest vampire ass kisser._

"We should go on a road trip," she said to Leah. They were sprawled across Leah's twin-sized bed, Zora's legs laying on Leah's stomach, and Leah's feet next to Zora's face.

"When?" Leah replied, her eyes closed.

"Today, right now."

"Where?"

"Along the West Coast. We could stop in Oregon and stay with my dad."

"In whose car?"

Zora shrugged her shoulders. "We'll steal one."

Leah chuckled. "I like the way you think. I've been wanting to test my hot wiring skills."

" _You_ know how to hot wire a car?" Zora said in disbelief.

"No," Leah said, prompting Zora to roll her eyes. "Isn't that what the Fast and Furious movies are for, though? We'll just watch them 'til we learn."

Zora gave a heavy sigh. Unfortunately, running away wasn't on her list of options; Sam and the elders made sure of that. She grabbed a pillow and placed it over her face.

Leah snorted. "Smothering yourself?"

"I was going to scream," Zora said, her voice muffled, "but your idea sounds better."

"Under normal circumstances, I'd be happy to help," Leah said, yawning. "Too tired, though. Let's save the suffocation for another day."

Zora remained quiet, and in a few, slow breaths, Leah was fast asleep, snoring lightly. Although Zora was also tired—she and Leah had only finished their patrolling an hour ago—sleep wouldn't come to her. She was anxious; Jacob made no attempt to apologize to her since the almost-kiss happened, and having successfully avoided him during pack meetings and other instances where they might be near each other, she wasn't ready to face him. She was still mortified and must have looked so pitiable to the others.

She groaned and rubbed her eyes. She decided she'd had enough of feeling sorry for herself; she wasn't going to drown in sadness. If Jacob wasn't going to hold himself accountable, then she would remain indifferent. She would never beg a boy for an apology and would certainly not make an exception for Jacob. With a surge of confidence, she shot up from the bed—jostling Leah, who swatted the air with closed eyes—and made the trek home.

* * *

Zora stepped into the night and was greeted with a sky full of stars. The temperature dropped and with it came a chilly breeze, but she was warm in her cut-off shorts, flip flops, and over-sized hoodie. It was the perfect evening for a bonfire, and despite her previous nerves, she was excited to be with her friends, hear the legends, and most importantly, eat s'mores.

Everyone was gathered on a cliff top, ocean waves swaying in the background. By the time she arrived, the festivities were in full swing. A bright, crackling fire sat in the center with people gathered around sharing conversation and laughter. Although she recognized mostly everyone, there were a few people she hadn't met before.

There was a girl sitting next to Jared, and her cheeks seemed to be permanently red as she spoke to him. Jared stared at her as if she was the most amazing sight he'd ever laid his eyes on, and Zora knew instantly that she was Kim, his imprint. Next to Quil sat an elderly man with a weathered, wrinkled face and a stoic expression. She could tell he was one of the Quileute elders, armed with knowledge and stories from their past. And next to the elderly man sat another man, not as old, but not young either. He was perched in a wheelchair and was chuckling at something Sam said. His hair reached past his shoulders, and the smile he wore reminded her of someone.

"There you are," Leah said, prompting Zora to jump and turn around. "I can't believe you snuck out on me like I was some terrible one night stand."

"Sorry," Zora said. "I had some stuff to take care of."

Leah smirked. "Like what? Put on makeup?"

Zora's ears heat up immediately. After leaving her friend's place, she spent the remaining hours, before the bonfire, rummaging through her mom's makeup supply to experiment with application. Her skills were mediocre at best, so she wasted most of the time scrubbing concealer, eyeliner, and whatever else she'd slathered across her face _off_ of her skin.

"I thought…I'd switch it up a little. How did you even know?"

"You've got some lipstick smeared across your left cheek."

With widened eyes, Zora quickly wiped the lipstick with the sleeve of her sweater. When Leah gave a nod of approval, she relaxed a little.

"It was a lame idea," Zora said sheepishly. "I wanted to look like this bad ass, unbothered girl. Instead, I managed to paint a clown face."

Leah snorted. "My dear, a bare face _and_ a face full of make-up are both bad ass. It doesn't have to be one or the other."

Zora smiled warmly. "Leah, you're so wise, like an old lady. I wanna be like you when I grow up."

"Shut up," Leah said, laughing and elbowing Zora lightly. The two of them walked together to find an empty tree log to sit on.

Soon, marshmallows, crackers, and chocolate were being passed around, and Zora excitedly took a large handful of each. She noticed there were no roasting sticks left for her to use and left the group to quickly search for any fallen branches. Though it was dark beyond the fire, she could easily see in the night. She'd spotted a perfectly-sized stick on the ground when she heard footsteps and voices approaching.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be here? I don't want to intrude."

"Relax, Bella. Everyone knows you're coming. Plus, you're involved now – it's only right you hear the history."

Zora was sure her heart skipped a beat. Bella was here, and even worse, she and Jacob were walking directly towards her. All of the confidence she had felt earlier faded as soon as she recognized Bella's voice. Momentarily frozen, she thought of her very limited options: hide behind a large log and wait for them to pass or stand tall and face them bravely. With only seconds to decide, she threw herself to the ground. Flattening her body as much as possible, she lay in the dirt still and rigid, careful to breathe quietly so that he wouldn't hear her.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little…" Bella said. "But I feel better being next to you."

Zora rolled her eyes. She could clearly imagine the big, cheesy grin he was wearing. They were right in front of her now, and though she felt damp with nervous sweat, her eyes clamped shut, neither of them detected she was hiding. Leaves crunched and twigs snapped beneath their feet as they walked away. Once they were out of earshot, she let out a sigh of relief. The calm didn't last, however, because she would have to go back to the bonfire and finally face _the_ Bella Swan.

"You can do this," she whispered to herself. "You're strong and awesome and you're not going to let some paleface make you feel like you're not good enough."

After taking several deep and controlled breaths, she rose from her hiding place and slowly walked back to the rest of the pack. When she arrived, the bonfire was still lively. Marshmallows and hot dogs were being roasted, and laughter still filled the chilly air. She easily spotted Leah, who was chewing on a slightly burned hot dog, oblivious to the fun around her. No one had taken Zora's seat, so she trudged over to her friend as if nothing had happened.

"Zora."

She stopped in her tracks, the surprise in his voice irritating. She groaned inwardly—she could keep walking and ignore Jacob, but at risk of looking like an ass, she turned around.

"Jacob," she said with a straight face, unaffected by the adorable, wide-eyed expression he was wearing.

"I…wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I'm part of the pack. Of course I'd be here."

"I know," he blurted awkwardly. "I just meant…I haven't seen you in a while."

 _I wonder why_ , she wanted to say sarcastically. She wasn't expecting the firmness with which she spoke to him, but she wasn't complaining. It was her turn to be the angry one. She crossed her arms, her body stiff. "I didn't want to run into you."

"I get that," he said grimly, digging his hands into his pockets. "I've wanted to talk to you, though."

"I don't want to hear what you have to say."

She was aware that the laughter died down and could feel the eyes of her pack mates nosily watching her and Jacob. Her ears grew warm with embarrassment—she was tired of her interactions with him always being a spectacle for the others.

Jacob looked like a small, sad child being scolded, his eyes downcast. It was _almost_ enough for her to rethink her resolve, but another voice joined the conversation, bringing her fire back.

"That's harsh," Bella said.

Zora hadn't noticed her move to stand beside him like some sort of pathetic protector. Seeing Bella in person, in such close proximity made her fists curl. She was conventionally pretty, of course, with her straight nose, small lips, unbelievably pale skin, wavy, dark brown hair, and eyes the color of chocolate. And unlike Zora, who was only a couple of inches shorter than Jacob, Bella was petite and dainty and had all of the feminine qualities Zora did not.

There were so many things Zora wanted to shout at her, so many words and phrases better left unsaid. She wasn't there to start a fight, though, especially with someone who was not her equal – a small, fragile human.

"What I talk about with Jacob is none of _your_ business," she said, her words piercing like a dagger. As she walked back to her seat, unfazed by the many taken aback expressions, she called over her shoulder with disgust, "Oh, and it's nice to finally meet you, _Bella_."

* * *

 _ **AN**_ :

And...scene! So much drama.

Honestly, this chapter and the next were kind of difficult to write. I was a little stumped on what direction to go and had a little case of writer's block, but I made it out alive. I hope you enjoy it! :-)


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

For the rest of the night, Zora stayed planted next to Leah, quietly fuming as she stuffed her face with s'mores. She refused to make eye contact with her pack mates who were all equally impressed with her reaction. Leah was especially proud, though she would have liked to hear more swear words thrown in.

Zora was also proud of herself, but still unhappy. She had to watch Bella cuddle up to Jacob for warmth, and it was both irritating and pathetic. She looked so content to be close to him and it made Zora wonder why she was in a relationship with Edward when she appeared to be happy with Jacob. And she _hated_ that when Bella said his name— _Jake_ , not Jacob—his head perked up so quickly he could have given himself whiplash.

She was unable to concentrate while most of the histories were being told—the spirit warriors' origin, the rise and fall of Utlapa, the rebirth of Taha Aki—but one story always grabbed her attention. The story of the Third Wife.

"Throughout his long life, Taha Aki fathered many sons with his first two wives. There was one wife he cherished most, though, one wife he considered his true soul mate: the Third Wife. His love for her made him decide to stop phasing altogether; he was in old age and wanted to live out the rest of his days as a human. However, a foreign predator had returned. The mate of a Cold One, killed by Taha Aki and the Third Wife's eldest son, Yaha Uta, sought vengeance for her slain mate.

"Although Taha Aki had many sons, not all liked the transformation that was passed onto them. Those who did not want to join the pack remained human and aged as such; others joined their father and became warriors for their community. It was these warriors who fought off the first Cold One – a male who took the lives of several Quileute wolf-men. Only Yaha Uta survived, and with him, he brought the creature's body, torn to pieces so that it could no longer kill. The elders set fire to the remains after they tried to reassemble themselves and spread the ashes throughout the land. For safety measures, Taha Aki wore a small bag of ashes around his neck so that he may be warned in case the creature tried to build itself again."

The wrinkled man, who Zora learned was Quil's grandfather, Old Quil, paused in his storytelling and motioned to the man in the wheelchair. With a grim expression, the man removed the necklace he was wearing and held it in the air. Attached was a small, blackened bag swaying ominously. Zora, and a few others, gasped. Though she'd heard the legends before, some of the details she heard tonight were new to her, as if they'd been deliberately left out in the past. She had never seen the bag until now and grew nauseous at the sight of it.

"Taha Aki and the others believed the threat was destroyed. Unbeknownst to them, the Cold One's mate would come looking for him a few days later. The Quileute people had never seen such a sight – her beauty was not of this world, and many of them fell to their knees in worship, not understanding the strange, musical language she spoke.

"Only one had been of Taha Aki's blood, a small boy who shouted to his mother that the woman's scent was burning his nose. Another Quileute man realized who she was, and before he could run to warn Taha Aki, the Cold One killed him."

Zora, who was deeply immersed in the magic of Old Quil's narration, broke from her daze to glance around the circle. Sam, as usual, wore a straight-faced, authoritative expression; Emily was taking notes, furiously scribbling onto a pad of paper; Leah had her hands in her lap, her eyes closed; Quil, Embry, Seth, Brady and Colin had wide eyes, hanging on the end of every word; Jared had his arms wrapped around a disconcerted-looking Kim; Paul was focused, absentmindedly shoving graham crackers into his mouth; Bella looked guilty, probably thinking of her horrible, beloved bloodsucker family; and Jacob—he was staring at Zora. When her eyes met his, she had half a mind to drop her gaze. They looked at each other from across the fire, Zora unable to read him. She could see the reflection of the flames in his eyes, and the longer they stared at each other, the more intimate it felt. Her face grew hot and she knew it wasn't from the heat of the bonfire. She finally looked away, hoping no one would notice she was blushing.

"Being the only warrior left, Yaha Uta released his wolf and sprang into battle. Alone, he was no match for the creature's strength and speed. He lost, and having witnessed his son's death, Taha Aki filled with so much rage he transformed into his once-dormant wolf. The wolf was large and greyed with age, but he was Taha Aki, the Great Spirit Chief, and fought without hesitation. He was losing the battle, and fearing the total destruction of her people and death of her husband after losing her sons, the Third Wife acted quickly. Gathering all the courage she could muster, she plunged Taha Aki's blade into her own heart.

"The scent of human blood immediately enticed the Cold One, who stopped her fighting to quench her thirst. As soon as she turned her back, Taha Aki and two of his youngest sons—who turned after watching their mother die—lunged for the creature and tore her apart. After setting fire to the mangled pieces, Taha Aki lay by his wife's body, not leaving her side for one full day. After the day passed, he went into the forest, still in his wolf form, and never returned."

The finality of Old Quil's words left the group in a sad silence. Their ancestors sacrificed many things, faced complete extinction, yet somehow remained strong and thrived.

"After Taha Aki, only a few men turned into wolves throughout each generation, the threat of vampires almost nonexistent," the man in the wheelchair said, "with the exception of the golden-eyed coven your great-great grandfathers made a treaty with." His eyes lingered on Bella, who shrank back with mild embarrassment.

"It was your ancestors' duty to protect their people," said Old Quil, "and now the responsibility lies with all of you."

After another moment of silence, the bonfire slowly roared back to life. Conversation and laughter continued as if it had never stopped. Zora heard Quil say something about loving his wolf abilities, but she had trouble focusing. Her mind was elsewhere, thinking of her mother and father. Which one gave her the wolf magic, she wondered. Did they ever hear stories of past relatives shifting? Had they ever seen it themselves? And most importantly, what would they think of her if they found out their daughter was also a giant wolf?

She chewed on her bottom lip. This life was so complicated and she hadn't even experienced it all yet. She turned her head to say something to Leah, but noticed she moved to sit next to her mom, Sue Clearwater. They spoke softly to one another, something about Leah's late father, Harry, and both smiled sadly. Zora realized it was the first time she'd seen Leah have a tender moment with someone other than herself. She then noticed almost everyone engaged in a one-on-one conversation, and trying to be inconspicuous, looked to the spot where Jacob and Bella were sitting. They disappeared, and she could feel a knot of envy tightening in her stomach. She shot out of her seat, torn between angrily searching for them and heading home to eat her emotions.

For all she knew, they could be making out in the darkness, surrounded by tall trees and bright, romantic stars. The knot twisted tighter, a dreaded tremble shaking her body. She could not turn here, not in front of all these people. It would be too humiliating. To calm herself, she tried to think of positive, non-Jacob things. She had no luck, however, and stomped toward the woods, ready to set the wolf free.

"You must be Zora Medina."

She stopped, matching the voice to the face. Without turning around, she knew it was the man in the wheelchair speaking to her. When she faced him, he was wearing that familiar, recognizable smile.

"That's me," she said through clenched teeth.

"He went to drop off Bella to Edward," the man smiled, and after no response from the frowning girl, continued with, "Isn't that why you were angrily staring at the spot where they sat…because they left?"

"How did you…" Zora trailed off, still frowning.

The man gave a hearty laugh. "I'm just an observant person. Also, I know that Jacob, my son, is your imprint."

Her eyes widened, her face suddenly feeling cold. _So that's why I recognized his smile_ , she thought, _his bright, friendly smile_. _It's the same one Jacob wears_. A wave of embarrassment washed over her; here she was behaving so callously to Jacob's kind father, who spoke of her imprinting on his son as if he was speaking about the weather.

Billy could see the wheels turning in her head and noticed the reddish hue that painted her cheeks. Having raised two daughters, he knew how dangerous the mind of an overthinking teenage girl could be.

"Jacob told me about you," he said calmly. "All good things, of course."

Zora wanted to roll her eyes. She had a hard time believing he had anything "good" to say about her.

"It's true. He was…upset, at first, when it— _you_ happened, but he came around and talked to me about you." He noticed her body language change; she looked less tense than before, and he smiled. "I'm sure this hasn't been an easy process for you. After Sam told me he gained a new pack member, a girl who was never on his radar, who then _immediately_ imprinted…well, I was shocked. You got thrown into this world and didn't even know you were part of it."

Though his voice was gruff, he spoke so gently that Zora felt guilty for the coldness she first showed him. "It was unexpected, that's for sure," she said, half-smiling.

"From what I've heard, you're doing great dealing with the rest of those boneheads. I think you're quite special, Zora. There's something about you…I can't put my finger on it, but I can sense it."

And with that, he gave another grin and rolled himself over to Old Quil.

She was left feeling flustered and slightly flattered. She had never thought of herself as "special." But maybe he was right, maybe there was something different about her, something that made her stand out from the rest. Before she could think anything else, a large and loud yawn flew from her mouth, her lack of sleep finally catching up to her. She wanted to stay and hang out with the others, but the desire to rest was stronger than the desire to socialize. Without looking back, she threw up a lazy wave, and then continued walking towards the trees.

The night seemed darker now, but she had no trouble navigating thanks to her sharp wolf eyesight. She'd only been walking for five minutes when her ears picked up a noise. She heard footsteps approaching, still a few feet away. Her keen sense of smell recognized the scent and her heart almost flew into her throat. She used the darkness to her advantage and hid behind a large tree, only this time as the person came closer, she was unable to remain quiet. Her nose began to itch, and the urge to sneeze became inconveniently unbearable. Unable to contain it, she sneezed three times, each louder than the first.

The footsteps stopped right in front of her tree. "Who's there?" Jacob called out.

 _Damn it, damn it, damn it_. She'd have to reveal herself this time; there was no way around it.

"No one," she said, "just an unfriendly, sneezing ghost." She was tempted to make ghostly, moaning noises to make it more believable, but she knew her identity had already been discovered. Jacob knew it was her as soon as she sneezed.

"Does this unfriendly, sneezing ghost have a name?" he said playfully.

Zora sighed. "Alright, you caught me." She stepped out from behind the tree, her heart racing at the sight of his brilliant smile. She thought he'd still be wounded after being told off by her, yet there he was, grinning as if she'd never said a thing.

"What are you so happy about?" she questioned suspiciously. "Shouldn't you be upset that you had to drop Bella off to her bloodsucker like a child caught between feuding, divorced parents?"

He snorted. "Good one, albeit a little harsh. Not as harsh as what you said earlier, though."

"I meant every word," she replied, a sharp edge in her voice.

"I know. That's why it hurt."

 _Good_ , she wanted to say. Served him right for all of the times he hurt her. They stared at each other, caught in an uncomfortable silence. Jacob had his hands in his pockets again, a habit of his Zora noticed whenever he was unsure of what to say. She was irked that he had no words when she could think of a few he could've spit out.

She sighed, her exhaustion exacerbating her irritation. "Jacob, what do you want?"

A simple question, but it felt so heavy to him. What _did_ he want? An image of Bella flashed in his mind, her lips pulled into a shy smile. For months, everything had been clear; Bella was the person who had his heart. She was intelligent and kind and in her lowest time, when she needed someone to support her, someone to care for her, he was there. He pulled her out of the darkness.

But as he stood before Zora with her heavy, tired eyes, tightly-crossed arms, and right foot tapping on the ground impatiently, the image in his mind became unfocused. The girl standing in front of him was brazen and outspoken and fiery; and as he stood there staring into her brown eyes, taking all of her in, wanting to brush the tip of his finger along the path of her damn adorable freckles, something in his chest stirred.

"I want…I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry…for the other night in the car," he stammered, suddenly feeling nervous.

"Is that all?" Zora said expectantly. "No ' _I'm sorry for making you believe I wanted to kiss you, only to utter someone else's name and effectively play with your feelings_ '?"

"You didn't let me finish. I am sorry for all of those things. I was an ass and I shouldn't have led you on."

Led her on? Was he implying that he didn't have feelings for her after all, even though his actions said otherwise? She squeezed her fists tightly. She was tired and confused and angry, and the only way her mind could think of to express those jumbled emotions was to cry.

"Are we done here?" she sniffled, furiously wiping at the tears soaking her cheeks and chin. A lump in her throat formed from holding back sobs.

Jacob watched her with a horrified expression. He was only trying to apologize, not make her burst into tears. He didn't know what he said that was wrong, but he desperately wanted to fix it. "No, I wanted to say something else—"

"There goes that word again," Zora interrupted, her voice rising. " _Want._ What is it that you want, Jacob? A friend, a body guard, someone to listen to all of your trivial little girl troubles?" She edged closer to him, her eyes narrowed. "You're my imprint, and I'm supposed to be _whatever_ you need."

She was nearly shouting at him, her voice laced with sarcasm. The way she spoke, though, whether she was having a simple conversation or yelling at him, was full of an unwavering firmness that captivated him. Her words were always confident, and that was the Zora he came to know. Tenacious and strong-willed—he knew in that moment exactly what he wanted.

"I want to do this," he declared, and without any hesitation, closed the gap between them and cupped Zora's wet face. Then, he pressed his lips to hers.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Kissing Zora was akin to magic.

Her lips were soft and wet, tasting of the salt from her tears, and though she and Jacob were the same temperature, her cheeks felt _so_ warm. It was the closest to pure bliss Jacob had ever felt. He knew the thought would earn him a week's worth of teasing from his pack mates, but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about, the only thing that was of the utmost importance was how right it felt to kiss her.

For Zora, she felt like she was on fire. The moment Jacob's lips touched hers, an exhilarating feeling like hundreds of tiny, prickling needles spread from her scalp to the tips of her toes as his calloused hands gently cradled her face.

It was a kiss neither of them imagined, and now that they'd had a taste, both of them wanted more. It turned needier, more fervent as Jacob's tongue slipped into her mouth. He kept one hand on her cheek, the other moving to grip her waist. His arm tightly wrapped around her, backing her against a tree. Zora had her hands on his lower back, reaching up to dig her nails into his shoulders.

It was as if they couldn't get enough of each other. They were breathless, but didn't want to stop.

Jacob had never felt such strong desire. He'd kissed girls in the past, but none of them made him feel the way Zora did. He wanted all of her in that moment, his lips moving to her neck, teeth biting into her skin.

She groaned, not expecting a bite to feel _that_ good. She wanted more, too, and when her frenzied mind thought of the annoying layer of clothing separating them, her eyes flew open. She pushed him away, and catching him off guard, he stumbled back and nearly fell.

"What's wrong?" he said, breathing heavily. He was wearing an expression she hadn't seen from him, a combination of lust and hunger. It made her tingle in a place that had never tingled before.

"Nothing," she muttered quickly, her face feeling hot. "I just think…we should stop because…" _Because I feel like I won't be able to control myself_ , she wanted to say, _and I don't know if I'm ready for that._

Unsurprisingly, he was thinking the same thing, only he _was_ ready. He was still staring at her with smoldering eyes, causing her to gulp. "…because you should never kiss a girl without her permission!" she continued. And with that, she ripped off her flip flops and ran home barefoot, leaving him confused and sexually frustrated.

* * *

Sleep finally graced Zora with its presence, and after eleven hours of heavy slumber, she opened her eyes and stretched. After her back and arms cracked with a satisfactory pop, she fell back onto her sheets, her mind wandering to the night before.

She and Jacob kissed, and it wasn't some innocent smooch. It was a neck-biting, face-flushing, breath-taking make out session. The thought of each sensation inflamed her face; the moment was so enjoyable that she'd wanted to tear his and her clothes off. However, there was one small issue: Zora still had her virginity intact. And despite the passion she felt with Jacob, she was not ready to give herself to him, especially while being held against a tree in the middle of a dark forest.

She'd been so caught up in him that she forgot the pack would see _everything._ And now, lying in bed, the realization dawned on her. She screamed, and then buried herself in the blankets.

"Oh no, no, no, no," she whispered. "Why is there no such thing as privacy?"

Maybe Jacob wouldn't think about it, she thought. Bella still had him wrapped around her finger, so he probably wouldn't want the others to think he was changing his mind. As for herself, she swore she would use all of her mental strength to push the kiss to the dark recesses of her mind, never to be unveiled to anyone. She clung to these hopes, and though they were minuscule, the self-reassurance was enough to get her out of bed and make her start the afternoon.

When she arrived at Emily's place a few hours later, she was cool, calm, and collected. As far as she was concerned, she'd had a normal, boring night. However, as soon as she walked through the door, she was bombarded with whistles and a round of applause.

"Congratulations!" Jared shouted, laughing.

Quil and Embry were making kissing faces at each other while Seth, Collin, and Brady watched with amusement. Emily paid them no attention, though she wore a small smile while flipping through a magazine. And Paul looked at her with the slyest smirk she'd ever seen him wear.

"Watching you two make out was like watching a soft core porno."

"Paul!" Emily hissed, looking up from her magazine.

At the same time, Zora said, "Shut up!" Her face turned red and she could hardly look any of them in the eyes.

"What?" he replied nonchalantly. "It was hot. Clearly, you and Jake need to fu—"

Emily whipped her magazine at him before he could finish. "Language! And stop pestering Zora. If she doesn't want to talk, then you can't force her." She threw the younger girl a quick wink, and Zora managed a weak smile in return.

"Fine," he grumbled, but when Emily looked away, he creepily wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Leah walked in not a minute later, heading straight for Zora with narrowed eyes. "You have me utterly surprised, Medina. First, you dish some necessary bitchiness to the leech lover, and now you're tongue-wrestling boys." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking serious for a moment before smiling widely. "I didn't know you had any of that in you."

"Glad I could entertain," Zora said sarcastically. "Now, can we please stop talking about it? It's not a big deal. Jared and Kim bang all of the time and no one says anything about it."

"Hey!" he shouted, though he was ignored by both of them.

"Alright, alright, you've made a good point," Leah muttered, her face twisted with disgust. "Where's your beloved Jacob anyway?"

"How should I know?" Zora snapped. "I'm not his keeper."

Leah laughed. "Calm down, geez. Anyone know where he is? And Sam, for that matter? I didn't get out of bed for nothing."

"Running a patrol," Emily replied. "They should be here shortly."

Leah gave a stiff nod and motioned for Zora to follow her outside. She obliged, and the two planted themselves on the ground. Zora didn't have to ask to know that Emily and Sam's place still made Leah feel suffocated. They talked about unimportant things, picking at grass and throwing it each other. They were in the middle of laughing at one of Leah's lame jokes when Sam and Jacob arrived. They were already in their human form, and Zora felt her airflow constrict at the sight of Jacob's bare chest.

Sam cleared his throat. "We should head inside," he said, mostly to Leah, who stared at him through unimpressed eyes before standing up and coldly brushing past him. He followed, leaving Zora and Jacob alone.

Jacob was smiling. "Hi." He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her lips.

Zora, feeling her stomach flip, gave an oddly loud, "Sup!" Her palms began to sweat as she looked at him; he was wearing the same intense expression he wore last night.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yup."

"Me too," he said, " _very_ well."

She wasn't sure she wanted to know what his tone meant, so she stood and quickly walked inside instead of responding. She sat next to Leah, who was smirking and had been deliberately listening. Jacob came in after her, still grinning. Once he sat down, Sam spoke.

"I've called you all here today to discuss our meeting with the Cullens tomorrow morning. As I mentioned previously, Carlisle and his son Jasper believe it would be in our best interest to learn the fighting styles of newborn vampires."

A few grumbles of disagreement passed around the table.

"I have decided that we will not train with them as it's not in our nature to be peaceful towards vampires. Instead, we will actively watch and observe."

A collective sigh of relief filled the air as Paul shouted, "Thank the fucking lord!"

"We'll meet them early at three in the morning, near the Hoh Forest. And we all stick together, so gather here around two-thirty."

After each person gave a nod of agreement, he dismissed everyone and told them to enjoy the rest of their day—all except Collin and Brady who were on afternoon patrol duty.

Leah was quick to leave, and Zora, not wanting to linger and be the target of anymore teasing, followed after her. "So are we hanging out or are we hanging out?"

"No," Leah replied, rolling her eyes at Zora's surprised expression. "I distinctly remember you telling me that you had finals coming up soon, so you need to study."

"You're _actually_ recommending that I do my homework? And be responsible? Who are you and what have you done to my best friend?"

"Well, since I'm a wise, old lady now," she joked, "I think it would benefit you to study hard, so that you can get A's and go to college and get a degree in a field that's gonna pay you a lot of money—that way, you can get us out of here _and_ support me financially."

Zora snorted loudly. "Seems like you've got it all planned out."

"I do. I'm gonna be a stay-at-home mom, but without the mom part. And I refuse to clean anything."

"You sound like a terrible roommate, but I'll accept your terms. However, you have to at least cook dinner for me. If I'm gonna be the breadwinner, I expect to come home to a delicious meal."

"Of course. I make a mean bowl of cereal."

They burst into a fit of laughter, and for a second, Zora was able to forget about the kiss-related issues weighing on her mind. The second passed as quickly as it came, though, as Leah bid her farewell and headed home, seemingly excited about the day she was going to spend with her mother, Sue.

Zora sighed. She supposed she could be studious and complete her assignments…but procrastinating and harassing Embry seemed more fun. Maybe she could finally get him and Quil to take her cliff diving. Ready to set her plan in motion, she turned around – only to find Jacob watching her.

She jumped with fright. "What the—how long have you been standing there?"

"Only five minutes," he said casually, earning himself a fierce glare. "Okay, fine, just a few seconds. Relax."

Of course, she was unable to take his advice. How was she supposed to remain calm when all she could picture was their faces and bodies pressed together? Especially when she wanted to do it again? She grit her teeth and grumbled, "Out of my way. I need to ask Embry something."

"Why?" he blurted unhappily. A glance at his frown confirmed he was bothered.

"Because I want him to talk me out of studying so that we can cliff dive instead."

He let out a relieved breath. "Oh. Well, he's a pretty responsible guy. He'll only encourage you to work harder." He was wearing a flirtatious smile now, the tone of his voice changing. "I can be your bad influence, though."

His words were so incredibly cheesy that Zora wasn't sure whether to laugh or scream. _Damn his infectious charm._

Jacob was pleased with himself; he was able to make her flustered _and_ blush, the latter of which made her look irresistible. Now if only she'd let him be her distraction. His mind wandered to the kiss they shared, the feeling of holding her tightly against him, the way she'd groaned after he bit her. He was suddenly wrenched from his thoughts as his shorts grew uncomfortably tight. _Great_ , he chastised himself. _Now I look like a creep standing here with a boner._

He panicked; he didn't want her to think he was some gross pervert. Only she wasn't thinking of him, nor was she looking at him. She was several feet away, heading in the direction of the cliffs.

"Wait for me!" he called out.

She ignored him, naturally, and while her back was still turned, he quickly adjusted himself then ran after her.

* * *

"Is this your first time?"

Zora gave Jacob a dirty look. "Why did you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're about to de-virginize me."

His face turned red immediately. "Shit—sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound so weird."

She scrutinized him, her face straight. Then she broke into a smile and laughed. "I'm just messing with you, Jacob. And to answer your question, yes, this is my first time cliff diving."

He smiled back, his posture relaxing. "You nervous?"

"Not at all. I figure if I land on a bunch of rocks, I'll heal anyway."

He gave her an un-humored look, causing her to laugh again. " _Relax_ ," she mocked, poorly imitating his voice. She peered over the edge, watching the dark water move beneath her. She _was_ nervous after all—though she'd always liked the sound of the waves, she thought they looked sinister; something that deep, full of dozens of undiscovered creatures couldn't possibly be safe or fun to swim in—but would never willingly reveal that information to Jacob.

She took a deep breath, ready to push her hesitance to the side when he said, "Shouldn't we talk…about last night?"

Her stomach twisted nervously. The rational side of her knew that they should have a conversation about what happened between them; they should have discussed what it meant and where it left them. But having that conversation meant she'd have to vocalize everything she felt for him. If she had to be vulnerable, there was a very real possibility that he could reject her, and she was deeply afraid of his rejection. So instead of being honest, she shrugged her shoulders as carelessly as she could. "There's nothing to talk about. It was just a kiss."

He furrowed his brow, looking offended. "Just a kiss? You and I both know it was more than that."

"Does it change anything, though?" she said softly. "Did kissing me make you forget everything you _thought_ you knew? Everything you felt before?" She didn't want to say Bella's name out loud — it still left a bad taste in her mouth. Jacob was attentive, though, and easily caught on. She could see he was deep in thought; he must have not considered that idea, and the fact that he still seemed uncertain was all the confirmation she needed.

She sighed, wanting to be angry, but feeling drained instead. Enough of the back and forth, she wanted to shout at him. Enough of the confusion and the doubt. She wanted to be done with all of it, but she knew it was unavoidable. Because while Jacob may have been her imprint, she was not his. Though he was drawn to her, he was still free to have feelings for others. And ultimately, it was his decision as to whether or not Zora was a lover, a friend, a protector, or nothing at all.

She glanced at the water again, which remained sinister-looking, but seemed more inviting than standing at the top of the cliff with him. Suddenly feeling bold, she began unbuttoning her shorts.

Jacob coughed loudly. "What…what are you doing?"

"Taking my clothes off," she said bluntly. "I don't want them to get wet."

"We don't…" he trailed off, distracted by the shirt she'd discarded and thrown to the side, "we don't usually jump naked."

He was staring into her eyes with extra determination, and it made her think back to the first time she'd shifted. Jared refused to look anywhere but her face and Paul refused to look at her face – which earned him a bloodied, broken nose in the process. She smiled fondly at the memory.

"It's just nudity," she replied, repeating what Jared once said to her. "You get used to it eventually." She was down to her bra and underwear, remaining indifferent as she removed them. "So take a look and get used to it."

Jacob's mouth was agape. An actual girl just stripped in front of him _and_ was giving him permission to look. His heart thudded rapidly. Sure, he'd caught snippets of her naked body in the past, usually because one of the younger boys was thinking about it, but he was always quick to shut them down. From what he'd managed to see, she had a figure worth admiring, but seeing her up close, in person, rendered him speechless. She was beautiful from head to toe, and as his eyes raked her slowly, lingering at her chest and the space between her legs, he felt the same hungry desire creep up on him.

Zora knew exactly what he was feeling. She could see it in the darkness of his eyes and the biting of his lip. Though it made her feel alluring, wanted, and even turned on, she had him exactly where she wanted him.

"I think it's your turn."

Without hesitation, he eagerly removed his shorts and underwear. He watched as she eyed his body, memorizing details old and new. She looked satisfied, and the expression was so enticing that he could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and ready to kiss her again, leaned forward with his eyes closed.

Unfortunately, his lips met air. As he opened his eyes, he caught her jumping from the cliff with a running start, screaming and laughing all the way down.

"God damn it," he grumbled, longingly staring at where she just stood. With a heavy sigh, he jumped in after her.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Wow. This is the longest chapter to date. Also, the juiciest! I totally didn't intend for things to get so sensual (lol), but I'm not mad about it. I may even change the rating of this story. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! And if you feel inclined to do so, please leave a comment with your thoughts/concerns/predictions/etc.!

P.S. it is late where I live and I'm somewhat tired, so don't mind any minor spelling/grammar errors. I'll go back and do some more editing once I've slept. :)


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Sunlight was hard to come by in rainy Washington, so Zora took full advantage of it. She was lying in the sand, her arms crossed behind her head, her eyes closed. Although her body temperature was much higher than her human counterparts, she could still feel the warmth of the sun. It felt good on her naked skin, and despite already being dry and able to put on her clothes, she was too relaxed to move.

Jacob was sitting next to her, also opting for his natural state. He was staring into the ocean's horizon marveling at the vastness of the water. Surrounded by the land of his ancestors and listening to the breaths of the dozing girl next to him made him feel calm, a calmness that made him think if an asteroid were to strike Earth at that very moment and decimate everything, he would be content perishing.

It was that thought that pushed Zora's question to the front of his mind: did kissing her change anything? On instinct, he wanted to say no, but he couldn't lie to himself. Kissing her meant more to him than he thought possible. She came into his life so suddenly, changed the course of their fates with a simple glance into his eyes. It made him angry at first; he tried so hard to deny her, but she won in the end. And being honest with himself, he was glad she did because he couldn't imagine his life without her in it.

He loved Bella for so long, though, and it was a love unaffected by any supernatural forces. He loved her because she was the clumsy, intelligent human who confided in him her darkest pain and fears, who figured out his secret and stuck by him anyway, who cared deeply for him and only wanted to see him happy. Yes, she had an immortal boyfriend who she stupidly risked her life for, but had Edward not pulled his suicidal stunt, and had Alice not come back to Forks, he was certain Bella would have been his girlfriend by now. The thought used to make him livid, and he wished so many times that he could change the past, but Edward was there to stay, so he had to fight harder than ever.

That was how he felt _before_ Zora, but as he watched her stir in her sleep, he wasn't sure anymore. Were his feelings for her purely physical? He briefly thought so. The sexual tension between them was palpable, but he also realized that every time she mentioned Embry or watched the two of them interact, jealousy twisted in the pit of his stomach. Plus, he genuinely enjoyed her company and looked forward to seeing her. So it was more than lust; how much more, he had to figure out.

Zora stirred again, mumbling something incoherent this time. She looked serene as she slept, bringing a smile to Jacob's lips. He couldn't help his wandering eyes, fixating on the areas of her body he wanted to caress with fingers and his mouth. He was aware that they were alone in a secluded part of the beach where no one would catch them…

He breathed deeply. At this point, he was going to have to finish himself off somewhere because the desire was too much to handle.

"Get your mind out of the gutter," Zora muttered, making him jump with fright. He immediately covered his erection, but she'd already seen it, a smirk on her face.

"I…uh, I can explain," he stammered, feeling both embarrassed and slightly vulnerable.

"There's no need. I could feel you staring, and when I heard you take that deep breath, I knew something was up…pun intended."

Jacob laughed. "That was actually a good one."

"Thanks," she chuckled. "In all seriousness, I'm not upset you're having those types of feelings. It's pretty flattering."

"In that case, I'll let you look at my boners more often." He intended for that to sound a lot smoother, but as soon as the words came out, it had the opposite effect. They looked at each other with disturbed expressions, and then burst into a loud, uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"That was so creepy! I'm sorry!" he managed to say, wheezing. He laughed so hard his stomach hurt.

Zora had thrown her head back, her eyes closed tightly as her laughter escaped her. Her dark hair swayed against her shoulders, her body shaking in a way that mesmerized him. He'd gone quiet and blurted, "Go on a date with me."

The sentence silenced her immediately. She opened her eyes, looking at him with shock. "A date? With you?"

He nodded his head, nerves fluttering in his stomach. She stayed silent for a whole minute, and for a moment, he regretted his boldness because she looked as if she wanted to say no. But then he heard her mutter a soft "Okay."

He smiled widely, his heart quickening at the redness of her cheeks.

"I think…I'm gonna go for another swim," she said, her entire body suddenly feeling too warm. She quickly headed for the water, not looking back at him as she submerging herself beneath the cold waves.

* * *

"So…let me get this straight: you guys cliff dived naked, hung out on the beach naked, joked about boners, and _only_ decided to go on a date?" Leah was pacing in Zora's room, her voice and expression incredulous.

"You make it sound really bad…is it?" Zora asked, nervously biting her nails.

"Not at all. A bit backwards, but impressive." She was smirking. "Honestly, I'm proud of you, Medina. You're blossoming into the seductive minx I always wanted you to be."

Zora snorted. "Gee, thanks, Clearwater."

"I will say, though, that you just gave all the young ones—and Paul—prime jerk-off material."

"Real funny. Also, gross!"

"Not to worry. I'm sure Jacob will beat them up for you now that you've got him wrapped around _all_ of your fingers."

Zora laughed, her face burning. She'd hoped for so long that things between her and Jacob would change, and in the span of day, they had. Being asked on a date surprised her; she hadn't expected him to be assertive since she was sure Bella was still on his radar. Still, she was happy and excited about their burgeoning relationship.

Leah cleared her throat. "You know I don't like being sappy, but I just want to say that I'm happy for you, and I hope…I get this same experience some day."

Zora smiled. "My sweet, sweet Leah, if it can happen for me, then it will most definitely happen for you." She opened her arms, and despite her protests, pulled Leah into a bone-crushing hug anyway.

"Alright, alright, enough of this sensitivity," Leah said. "You know I only accept one hug per month."

"Apologies to my lovely, beautiful friend," Zora grinned. "Let's go find some food and take a nap before we have to go."

"You always speak directly to my heart, Medina."

* * *

The night was peaceful, dimly lit by a half moon. Stars shone brightly in the dark, leading the way for Zora and Leah as they walked to Sam and Emily's place.

"I bet Sam is blowing a gasket 'cause we haven't phased," Zora said, smiling at an image of him red-faced, blowing steam from his ears.

"Let him," Leah replied, careless. "I don't want to be bombarded by all of their dumb thoughts."

Though it didn't take long to reach the couple's house, the two girls took their time, walking slowly as they relished in the sounds of nocturnal animals, the cool air on their skin, and the smell of moss and pine. When they arrived, they glanced at each other with knowing smiles. Sam stood at the front door, his arms crossed and his mouth set in a firm line.

"You're late. We agreed on 2:30 and it's now 2:32."

"Oh no, a whole two minutes? Whatever shall we do?" Leah scoffed. She walked past him to the backyard, ignoring whatever else he had to say. Zora hurried after her, mumbling, "Sorry Sam" as she passed him.

What felt like thousands of voices burst into their heads as each member of the pack shared thoughts.

" _Finally, the two princesses showed up."_

" _We've been waiting on your slow asses."_

" _Watch yourself,"_ Leah threatened, snapping her teeth at the wolf version of Paul.

Zora was waiting for the harassment to commence; she was aware that the whole pack knew about what transpired between her and Jacob, yet strangely enough, no one said a word. And then she saw it – a recent memory in which Jacob asked Sam to give an executive order to all of the guys that would forbid them from teasing her or even mentioning their encounter at the cliff and the beach. Had she been human, her whole face would've turned red. She looked for the large russet wolf in the darkness, and when she found his eyes, said, _"Thank you."_

" _No problem,"_ he replied, his muzzle pulling back in an odd, wolfy grin.

Sam gave a low grumble as if he was clearing his throat. All of the wolves straightened, knowing that it was time to listen. _"I want all of you to focus. And to be vigilant. Although we know the Cullens are…peaceful, they are still vampires. Your guard must be up at all times."_

They nodded, some shouting _"Sir, yes sir!"_

" _I want you to watch closely as well. Learn something tonight so that you may be prepared when it's time to fight."_

After more nods and statements of understanding, the wolves followed eagerly as Sam led them to the Hoh Rainforest.

* * *

 **AN** :

Yay! Another update. I've been trying to write like crazy so that I could get this chapter out and the next one (which is mostly finished). I did end up changing the rating to "M" in case I end up writing sexier scenes. ;) I'm sure you've all noticed by now that I did switch around some of the events in Eclipse to better fit this story. Hopefully, it's not too confusing. I've also decided that Jacob is a year older than what he would've been in the book (17, not 16); it just makes it a little more realistic as he and Zora explore their sexuality.

Enjoy! And let me know your thoughts. :)


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Zora could smell them before she could see them. A scent so sweet that it nauseated her permeated the whole clearing.

She and the pack had arrived at exactly three o'clock, and though they'd yet to move from the dense cover of the trees, she could clearly see the seven members of the Cullen clan. Much like the wolves, they stood in line formation, the oldest looking vampire in the center. He was blond and strikingly handsome, the exact words her mom used to describe her superior at work – Dr. Carlisle Cullen.

She recognized the overtly large vampire, Emmett, and his booming laughter as it reverberated through the trees. Next to him stood a woman with golden hair, her perfect features so hypnotizing that it was hard to look away. She sniffed the air and grimaced. Zora's eyes found another blond, though he looked more terrifying than the other two as almost every inch of his skin was covered in crescent-shaped bite marks. He was accompanied by a small woman who reminded her of a fairy, her foot anxiously tapping on the ground as she smoothed her pixie cut. Her gaze finally landed on the last three figures: a woman Zora could automatically sense was the motherly figure of the coven, her smile gentle and kind; the tall, handsome, and dramatic Edward Cullen; and underneath his arm stood an exhausted Bella Swan.

" _You think he's handsome?"_ Leah said, disturbed.

" _Well, he's certainly not ugly."_

From a distance, she heard a light huff of laughter escape him. He was watching her and Leah with a slightly amused expression.

" _Oh, God, now he's looking over here."_

" _Would you two stop with the fangirling?"_ Jacob interjected bitterly. _"Besides…he's not even that good looking."_

" _Someone sounds a little jealous."_

" _You know what, Leah? Why don't you go shove—"_

" _Enough!"_ Sam commanded. _"You three, knock it off. This is a serious matter. Be respectful."_

Zora, Leah, and Jacob grumbled in annoyance, following Sam and the rest of the pack. They stood tall and threatening at eleven members, the largest in their wolf history.

Emmett gave a low whistle as they stepped out of the shadows. "That's amazing."

The rest of the Cullen's echoed his sentiments, staring at them with intrigued eyes.

"Welcome," Carlisle began. "Thank you for meeting us here this morning."

"And thank you for inviting us," Sam and Edward said, the latter acting as a translator. "Do you know how many are coming?"

"As of right now, around twenty-one. We expect the number to go down, though. They fight amongst themselves."

"How are they different from you?"

Carlisle smiled at this question. "We are more civilized than them. The most important difference, however, is that we have regard for human life. We wish to coexist peacefully without any casualties or bloodshed."

Zora had to commend him for his speech abilities. He was easily able to convince her that he and his coven meant no harm.

"My son, Jasper"—the bite-covered vampire stepped forward—"has more experience with newborns and would like to lead this gathering."

Jasper eyed the wolves analytically, gauging their body language. His gaze fell on Collin and Brady who hadn't stopped trembling since they arrived. One moment, Zora could feel their nervousness, and then it was gone suddenly, a peculiar wave of calmness washing over them. She stared at Jasper curiously, who was watching the young wolves with the slightest hint of satisfaction.

" _Does he…manipulate emotions?"_

" _Yes,"_ Jacob answered.

" _Holy shit!"_ Zora exclaimed. _"Do they all have unique abilities?"_

" _Yeah, the unique ability of fucking reeking,"_ Paul quipped.

Sam gave a low growl, silencing them.

"Newborns fight without strategy, but have an immense amount of strength on their side," Jasper said, revealing a slight southern drawl. "We are at our strongest in the first year and the most dangerous. Still, they are not impossible to defeat."

He waved Emmett forward, who looked pleased at being chosen first. "My brother, Emmett, is a good example. He relies mostly on his strength"—the large vampire snickered—"but he is still one hell of a fighter. He will demonstrate how the newborns will attack, and I will show you how to counter them."

With a cocky grin, Emmett charged, though Jasper was easily able to defend himself. As he fought with his brother and then the other members of his family, he gave several pointers, the two most important being not letting them get their arms around you and not approaching with a predictable attack.

Watching the vampires fight was captivating and admittedly, impressive. They were fast, their movements fluid, yet aggressive. They struck without hesitation, knowing exactly how their blows would land. Zora was most interested in Jasper's spar with Alice. He seemed so much like a hunter, and she was his prey. Only, she was able to dodge his advances every time, moving like a ballerina as she pirouetted away from him.

"We will end here for now," Carlisle finally said, looking pleased. "You are more than welcome to join us again tomorrow."

"Thank you," Sam and Edward replied. "We'll be here."

Zora was so caught up in the fighting that she hadn't noticed the sky change colors. The blackness had been replaced by a mix of dark blue and pink, the sun slowly rising. Although she could see the Cullen's in the darkness, they seemed more beautiful in the light. And having watched them laugh and interact with one another, she could see that they weren't _just_ a bunch of vampires living together. They were a real family.

" _It would be a good idea for us to memorize your scents,"_ Sam said to Edward. _"So that we won't confuse you with the newborns."_

Edward nodded his head, relaying the message to the others.

Zora's mind was as loud as a concert hall as the wolves complained about having to sniff the leeches. The hackles on Leah's neck were raised and stiff as Sam led them down the line of vampires. _"It'll be less painful if you make it quick."_

" _Doubt it,"_ Quil chided.

They all took turns smelling then recoiling. Zora felt on the verge of vomiting, but was surprised that there was variation in each scent. She thought they'd all smell like death covered in sugar.

Edward chuckled again, earning puzzled looks from his family. When she reached him, he smiled, and it wasn't so hard to see why Bella had fallen for him.

Jacob purposely bumped into her, growling. _"Really, Zora?"_

" _What? I didn't say_ I _was in love with him. Calm down."_ She walked away from him, joining the others in their own line as they waited for Jacob to be done. Though he'd already gotten a whiff of Edward, he stopped at Bella. She looked at him curiously, trying to decipher who the person was behind the wolf.

"Jacob?"

He barked a laugh then licked her entire face.

A twinge of jealously stirred in Zora's stomach, gradually spreading throughout her body. Surely, she had no reason to be jealous. Jacob was the one to ask _her_ on a date, after all. She felt silly for her reaction and was thankful that her pack mates—and even the other vampires—stared at them with mild disgust.

" _That's enough, Jacob,"_ Sam said. _"We're leaving."_

" _I'm staying. I want to talk strategy with lover boy over there."_ An image of protecting Bella flashed through everyone's minds before he took cover behind a tree and phased, dressing himself so that he could talk with Edward in his human form.

" _You're just going to let him stay?"_ Zora questioned sharply. She wasn't happy that Sam hadn't been stricter.

" _He'll be fine. Embry and Quil will stay behind to look after him."_

She glared at him. _"Then I'm staying, too."_

" _No,"_ he said. _"You're going home. You need to get back before your mother notices you're missing."_

She heard the authority in his voice and could feel her body preparing to follow his order.

" _We'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble,"_ Embry reassured, trying his hardest to smile as a wolf.

She looked between him and Sam, and then glanced over at Jacob. He was saying something about masking Bella's scent with his, and not wanting to hear whatever ridiculous plan he concocted, sighed and muttered, _"Fine."_ She followed after Sam and the others, annoyed the entire run home.

* * *

"Sweet, sweet freedom at last!" Quil shouted dramatically, pushing the high school doors open with a strong shove.

He, Embry, Jacob, and Zora had survived their last day of finals, their summer break beginning as soon as they finished their last test.

"How do you think you did in Algebra?" Embry asked Zora.

"A definite A-plus," she said confidently. "However, my English final…I'll be happy with anything above an F."

They were all walking side by side, empty backpacks slung over their shoulders.

"Oh, come on," Jacob replied. "Don't sell yourself too short. You're one of the smartest people I know."

She smiled sheepishly. "Thanks."

"As for me, I'm hoping I pass Chemistry or else I'll have to take it again next year. Billy probably wouldn't be too thrilled, either."

"Chemistry, you say? I bet our wonderful Zora could help you out," Quil winked suggestively.

She rolled her eyes. "Ha-ha-ha. You're hilarious, Ateara."

"I think he's right, though," Jacob said playfully. "I bet we could figure it out together."

At that moment, Zora wished she had longer hair to hide behind so that no one would see her reddening cheeks. After his flirtatious comment, Jacob threw a large arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She didn't mind flirting with him when they were alone, but doing it openly around the others made her feel embarrassed. It shouldn't have been a big deal; Sam and Emily, and Jared and Kim, engaged in public displays of affection frequently and they didn't care. Still, she found it weird to do it herself.

She was beginning to hate that everyone knew their business and that she had no way of hiding anything. She supposed that things were made that way on purpose to cement a pack bond, but it was very uncomfortable. She couldn't complain for long, however, because the feeling of Jacob's arm wrapped around her was more important.

"I'm not that great at Chemistry, but I could lend you a hand," she said, causing him to grin.

They continued walking, reaching Quil's house first, then Embry's, until it was just Zora and Jacob. They arrived at her house, idling at the front door.

"Thanks for walking me home."

He was staring down at her, happy that they were finally alone. "You're welcome."

"So, about that date…"

"What about it? You're not trying to back out, are you?"

"No!" she said quickly, cursing herself for being so loud. "I just wanted to ask…if you were serious about it."

He furrowed his brow in confusion. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

 _Because you have an extensive history of being uncertain_ , she wanted to say. "Just making sure."

He stepped closer to her, taking her hand in his. "I'm not going to change my mind. I like you, Zora."

 _I like you, Zora._

The words rang like a melody. He liked her. He was actually admitting his feelings, and there was no hesitance in his voice. He was smiling and there was no doubt in his eyes. He was holding her hand, anchoring her to the ground because she felt like she could float away.

It felt good to finally say it back. "I like you, too, Jacob."

It was no guess that she felt the same way, but the words made his heart race anyway. He placed both of his arms around her, scooping her into a tight hug.

"I'm gonna plan the date," he said eagerly, his face buried in her hair. "All you have to do is bring your magnificent, beautiful self."

She laughed. "Sure, sure."

"Sounds like I'm rubbing off on you."

"You are," she said. "I don't mind it."

He put her down and took a step back, admiring her. Her lips were curved into a smile – which was quickly becoming one of his favorites. The longer he stared, the more his desire grew to kiss her, but he promised himself he'd wait until the right moment during their date.

Zora noticed his lingering gaze and grew self-conscious. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Huh?" he muttered, tearing his eyes away from her lips. "Oh, sorry…no, you don't. Your face is perfect."

She gave a short laugh. "You're doing that on purpose."

"Doing what?"

"You're trying to make me flustered."

"I'm doing no such thing," he said innocently. "Why? Is it working?"

"Not this time, Casanova."

He shrugged his shoulders. "There's always tomorrow."

"Well, tomorrow I won't fall for your tricks so easily," she teased.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

They laughed together before falling silent, both contemplating what to say next. Zora wondered if she should invite him into her home, but nerves fluttered in her stomach at the thought of him being in such close proximity to her bedroom. Jacob didn't want to leave, but was expecting company at his house and was unsure if he should mention _who_ he was expecting.

 _Be brave_ , Zora told herself. She took a deep breath then said, "Do you want to come inside?"

He looked taken aback. She wanted him to spend time with her _in_ her empty house? He regretted his response before even saying it aloud. "I'd love to…but I can't. I promised Bella I'd hang out with her today."

Her expression shifted from crestfallen to upset. "She's coming to see you?"

He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Her leech and his family are trying to stock up on blood fuel before the fight. She didn't want to be alone and bored, so I told her she could come visit me."

"Oh," she muttered, her voice lowering with disappointment. She was becoming irritated, but trying not to show it. _He likes me. I don't have anything to be worried about._

He knew what was going through her head without being inside of it. She was so easy to read, at war with herself for wanting to voice her unhappiness and keeping it hidden away. He sighed. "I know you have your reasons for not liking her, but she's my friend. I actually think it would be a good idea if you two had a chance to talk."

"We already have," she said sharply, remembering their first meeting at the bonfire.

"I meant under better circumstances. Who knows…maybe you and her could get along."

"I _highly_ doubt that, Jacob. And I'll pass on your invitation to talk with her." She let out a heavy breath. "Just…call me later, alright?"

He nodded his head.

She gave a half-smile, waving weakly as he turned around and headed in the direction of his home.

 _He_ likes _me_ , she reassured herself, her back pressed against the door. She repeated the thought until her apprehension disappeared.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Shortly after Jacob made the trek to his house, Bella arrived, her rusty truck and wide smile in tow. He met her at the driver's door, enveloping her in a giant hug as she stepped out of her car.

"I'm happy to see you, too," she laughed.

He placed her back on her feet and grinned. She hadn't been to La Push in a while, and seeing her smile up at him made him nostalgic for the old days—the easy, comfortable days in which he fixed up the bikes while she watched, ate pizza, and talked about everything and nothing.

"I missed you," he said.

"And I missed you. So what are we doing today?"

"Whatever you want. You're my guest."

"We could go to the beach," she proposed. "Or…order pizza and pig out in front of the TV."

He smiled again. "You read my mind. Pizza and TV it is."

After ordering two large pizzas—Bella eating only three slices while Jacob devoured the rest—they sat on his couch, Bella's head resting on Jacob's shoulder as they settled into a comfortable silence. He was dozing off, the lack of sleep from extra patrols finally catching up to him. As long as he could keep an extra, protective eye on her, the exhaustion was worth it.

"Jake?"

"Hmm?" he murmured sleepily.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Ask away."

"Why haven't you told me about Zora?"

His heavy eyes flew open. How did she know about Zora? He stared at the ceiling for a moment, contemplating his answer. "I just…haven't found the right time. How did you know her name?"

"I heard you say it before," she said, then smiled guiltily. "Also, Edward told me."

 _That bastard._ He shook his head, growing irritated. He should've known that her damn, nosy bloodsucker would use any opportunity to share his personal business. "What did he tell you?"

Bella moved her head, shifting her body so that she could stare directly at him. "I know that she imprinted on you."

He stared back at her, dumbfounded and unable to read her expression. In truth, he hadn't told her because he was afraid of her reaction – afraid that she'd be happy for him and use it as reasoning for him to finally move on. Surprisingly, she _didn't_ look happy as she watched him with a straight face.

"It's true," he said, searching for any change in her expression. "I'm her imprint."

"That's why she doesn't like me."

"I think she'd like you if she got to know you a little better."

She gave a humor-less laugh. "I don't think so, Jake." She folded her hands and placed them in her lap, looking as if she was searching for something to say.

While he was angry with Edward, he did find himself enjoying Bella's reaction. She seemed bothered, and if she was unhappy, that meant she had to feel the tiniest inkling of jealousy.

"I suppose I should congratulate you," she finally said, half-smiling. "I'd be lying, though, if I said I wasn't at least a little envious."

His heart accelerated. So she _was_ jealous – and admitting it.

"Why would you be envious?"

"Because…" she paused, "you're my best friend and I…don't want to share you with someone else."

He grinned. "Selfish, much?"

She chuckled. "Very."

"I haven't imprinted on her," he said softly. "It's pretty confusing." In fact, he wasn't sure why she was able to imprint on him, but he wasn't able to reciprocate. He could feel the effects of her claim to him; he was drawn to her the way Emily and Kim were drawn to Sam and Jared, but he hypothesized that since he wasn't entirely human, his own wolf ability allowed him to relinquish some of her hold on him. Or maybe he was purposely not giving in, holding onto the hope that someone else would come to their senses and choose him.

Bella studied him, watching as different emotions flitted across his face. "Edward has seen you through her eyes. She thinks the world of you."

"I know," he muttered, picturing Zora in his thoughts. She looked at him the way one stares at stars—lost, full of awe, breath taken away. It was hypnotic.

"You have feelings for her," she stated, her words sounding like an accusation. "I saw the way you looked at her the night of the bonfire. I could hear it in your voice when you spoke to her. And I can see it now."

He ran a hand through his hair. The conversation seemed promising at first, but he had a feeling it wasn't going to end in his favor. "Where are you going with all of this, Bells?"

She chewed her lip. "As…envious as I am, it's clear to me that she's someone you should pursue. You should be with her, Jake."

He laughed bitterly, scowling. "I knew you'd say that. Have you forgotten how much you mean to me?"

She shook her head slowly. "Jake, you _need_ to give up on me. I love Edward."

"How can you say that to me? I can care for whoever I want."

"I know...but I don't want to hurt you anymore."

His voice rose. "I'm hurt right now!"

"But Zora—"

"I'm not worried about her."

Bella frowned. "Why not? You just admitted to liking her."

"I like her, okay? But…I love you!" he shouted, catching them both off guard. He'd wanted to tell her in a different, less angry way, but he was in too deep to stop now. "I'm in love with you, Bella."

She wore a look of discomfort, her mouth agape. "I…I shouldn't have come here today. I have to go, Jake." She rose from the couch, but he held her wrist. "Please let go of me."

"Wait," he pleaded. "At least hear me out."

"I can't," she said, her bottom lip quivering. "Everything's already set in motion. After graduation, I'll become one of _them_. I'll be leaving this life behind."

Still holding onto her, he shot up quickly, towering over her. He wasn't ready to give up yet. "Not if I can help it." All rational thoughts left him; he knew he wouldn't have the chance again, so it was now or never.

Bella saw the determination in his eyes and began to protest, but he was quick, his mouth cutting her off. His lips landed on top of hers as he moved his hand to the back of her head. He weaved his fingers through her hair and kissed her roughly, passionately—all of the ways her bloodsucker couldn't. She didn't resist, still and tense in his arms. When he finished, his eyes still closed, he felt a soft nudging against his cheek, followed by a sharp bellow of pain from Bella.

" _Ow!_ " she exclaimed angrily, hopping up and down. "You _broke_ my hand!"

"What?" he said, sounding confused. "How?"

"Because punching your face was like punching a brick wall!"

"Why did you hit me, though?"

"I didn't want you to kiss me, you big idiot!" She cradled her hand, a slew of swears leaving her as he tried to examine the injury. "I'm going home and I won't be coming back!"

Her reaction was dramatic and unlike anything he'd ever seen from her that it was almost comical. However, she eyed him as if she were picturing all of the ways she could break every bone in his body, so he didn't dare to voice his thoughts. "I don't think you'll be able to drive…"

"Ugh!" she shouted. "Fine, take me home, but don't you dare talk to me _or_ look at me."

She stomped through the front door, Jacob feeling conflicting emotions as he followed after her. On the one hand, he was glad he kissed her; he always wondered what it would be like to press his lips against hers, to feel her against him. He hoped it would be electric, that he'd feel a shiver crawl down his spine. But it was nothing like he imagined. He felt nothing; no spark, no otherworldly, magnetic pull.

If he wanted to lie to himself, he could've blamed it on the fact that she hadn't kissed him back. But he knew the truth.

She wasn't Zora.

The weight of his actions settled like dust, occupying all of the space around him and making him feel filthy. The pack would see everything. _She_ would see everything.

* * *

Zora thrummed her fingers against the counter top, blowing at strands of hair that fell onto her face. Her eyes kept darting to the house phone, hoping she could will it to ring.

It had been several hours since Jacob walked her home from school, and she'd yet to receive any word from him. The anxiety she relieved herself of came crawling back, towing with it an intense irritation. She was annoyed that he hadn't called; annoyed that she was eager to hear his voice; and annoyed that she was being a stereotypical teenage girl waiting by the phone for a boy to call.

She knew her suspicion was valid because he was with Bella, and he usually did stupid things around her. Still, she wanted to trust him, so she pushed the doubt and negative thoughts to the back of her mind.

She glanced at the phone periodically while eating dinner, her mom relentlessly hounding her until she caved and admitted she was waiting for someone to call her.

"Someone? As in…a _boy_?" Autumn said curiously.

Zora gave an exasperated sigh. "Yes, mom. A boy."

Autumn wore a mischievous grin. "I knew you had a crush on Embry!"

A horrified look flashed across Zora's face. "No, not Embry! We're just friends."

"Who is it, then?"

Zora bit one of her nails. She supposed she'd have to tell her mom about him sooner or later. "His name is Jacob Black."

"Black…" her mom trailed off in thought. "Oh! Billy's son. I don't think I ever met him, but I did meet his sisters. Is he kind?"

 _Well, he was mad I laid a magical, werewolf claim to him, so no, not at first_ , she wanted to say. Instead, she replied with, "Yes, he is."

"Are you two dating?"

"I don't think so. We haven't gone on a date yet, but we're supposed to go out soon. And we both admitted to liking each other, so…I don't know. It's complicated and I have no idea how to handle all of these strange, mushy feelings."

Autumn was beaming, ecstatic that her daughter was sharing some of her personal life with her. "My best advice is to not overthink it. You know he likes you, and he knows you like him, so nothing should be too complicated. Go on some dates and get to know each other better. If it works out, great! If not…well, then I think Embry would make a fine son-in-law."

Zora rolled her eyes at the last part. She wished her mother was right about things not being complicated, but werewolves and imprinting and injury-prone humans made sure the situation was anything but.

"Thanks, mom," she said. "I guess I'll call him."

She smiled. "That's my girl. You know I was the one to ask your dad to go steady. Don't be afraid to go after what you want."

With that, she stood from the table, placed a kiss on Zora's cheek, and headed to her bedroom to give Zora some privacy.

Once Zora heard her door close, she dialed Jacob's number. The phone rang four times, Zora growing more nervous with each one.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Jacob!" she said, feeling and sounding relieved. "This is Zora."

"Hey, sorry I forgot to call."

"That's alright…is everything okay?"

"Yeah!" he replied too enthusiastically. They both heard it—Zora immediately becoming more anxious as her mind tried to analyze the sound of his voice and Jacob cursing at himself for not seeming calmer. "Do you…think we could meet somewhere to talk?"

Her heart beat faster. "Okay. I need to wait until my mom falls asleep, though."

"Sure, sure. Come to the beach whenever you're ready."

She nodded her head, realizing he couldn't see her and whispered, "Alright."

He ended the call, Zora sighing loudly at the vagueness of their conversation. She wasn't ready for whatever it was he had to say.

* * *

It was past midnight when her mom fell asleep, her light snores and low, long breathing letting Zora know that she was unconscious and wouldn't hear her slipping through the front door.

Securing a pair of clothes around her ankle, she shifted into wolf form, the transformation becoming easier each time. Quil and Brady were patrolling, images of trees whipping past her as she looked into their minds. They didn't ask her any questions or make small talk, wishing her good luck instead as she ran to First Beach.

Jacob was sitting on a piece of driftwood when she arrived, sand slipping through his fingertips as he stared into the water. She heard his heart rate quicken as she drew closer, but was unsure if that was a good or bad sign. She made the switch again, pulling on a pair of shorts and a long-sleeved shirt.

"I thought you were going to stand me up," he joked, not meeting her eyes.

"I considered it," she said weakly, trying to bring herself to smile. "Took my mom forever to fall asleep."

He gave a small laugh. "I wouldn't have been too upset if you had."

"I wouldn't do that to you," she replied, walking forward and taking the seat next to him. "I'll always show up."

He reached down to grip more sand, watching as it fell onto a small pile on top of his feet.

Zora gave him a few minutes to collect his thoughts, and when the silence became unbearable, she said, "Jacob, what's wrong?"

The concern in her voice was so genuine that it made his stomach tighten. He finally looked up at her, revealing the remorse he'd been trying to hide.

She saw the sad look on his face and frowned, leaning away from him. "What did you do?"

He sighed heavily. "Promise me you won't storm off before I'm done explaining."

"I'm not promising you anything," she said, a feeling of dread spreading through her body. "What did you do?"

He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends. "I…I kissed Bella."

She knew it. She knew that whatever negativity she'd sensed, it had to do with _her_. She wasn't surprised, but it still hurt like hell to hear the truth. His confession was like a hard punch to the abdomen, pushing her over an imaginary cliff where the fall was long and torturous; and at the very bottom awaited jagged rocks instead of an ocean, ready to crush her.

She let out a shaky breath. "You kissed Bella."

"I didn't intend for it to happen the way it did," he said quickly, apologetically. "We were arguing, and then it just happened."

"Spare me the passionate details," she spat. "I'll have to see it all anyway." She stood up, moving towards the shore. The water was freezing, but it pulled her away from the pain consuming her.

Jacob didn't like the distance and followed after her. He tried grabbing her hand, but she pulled away from him. "Don't touch me."

"Zora—"

"Why do you keep doing this to me?!" she shouted, her vision blurring with tears. "You keep hurting me and I endure it because of some ridiculous, unfair bond, but I'm tired of it! It's like you don't even care."

His eyes watered, a lump forming in his throat. "I do care—"

"Stop lying," she growled, breathing heavily. A combination of sadness and anger was coursing through her, a tingle of heat rolling down her spine as her skin itched to release the animal within. She wanted to tear something, or someone, apart.

Jacob watched helplessly as she tried to control the rage. He couldn't comfort her – he was the one to inflict the damage. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry, Zora."

She shook her head. "I don't care about your apology. I just want you to tell me what this means."

This was the part he was most afraid of. Before she joined him on the beach, he tried practicing what to say to make her understand, but everything sounded terrible. There was no easy way to say that he was in love with someone else. And so he looked into her pleading brown eyes and delivered the truth. "I love her. I've loved Bella for a while, and there's a very small chance she may feel the same way. I have to try…even if I fall short in the end."

His words had a chilling effect on her. She felt heavy and lethargic, as if some invisible force was weighing her down. The aching in her chest grew worse, radiating throughout her entire body. _This_ , she thought, _is heartbreak_.

"I won't be there for you when she chooses him," Zora murmured. "And she _will_ choose him. I won't be waiting for you on the sidelines. And I won't be your friend."

She wished her words scared him. She wished he was afraid of losing her, but it was the opposite—she didn't want to lose him. She realized, though, that she never truly had him in the first place. He looked torn, and it hurt to watch him contemplate his choices. She wanted to be his first choice, his only choice.

The sorrowful look on his face showed that she was second best.

She heard him say, "I'm so sorry," but she didn't acknowledge him, her mind far away. She felt disconnected from her body, unaware that she'd shifted. She was running through the woods and howling, nails digging into the earth as she propelled herself further into the forest without any sense of direction.

For once, her mind was quiet, vacant. She was alone.

* * *

 _ **AN**_ :

Hello, lovelies. Because it took me over a month to update, I posted a long chapter to make up for the absence.

I know, I know-Jacob sucks and he's irritating and my dear Zora deserves better. She knows it and he knows it, but this isn't the last of them! It's a Jacob/OC story, after all. I just had to throw in some drama because who doesn't enjoy it?

Thanks for sticking around!


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

"If this is my last meal, then I just want you to know that all of the food you've ever made was delicious, but could've used a _tad_ more salt."

Emily rolled her eyes at Quil's words, swatting him on the shoulder. "Rude. Also, this isn't your last meal. Don't be so morbid."

As usual, the pack was gathered in her kitchen, talking loudly and eating everything in sight. There was an excited energy in the air as they prepared for battle. The army of newborns would arrive in a day, so Sam had them relaxing and preserving their energy. They had all attended two more training sessions with the Cullens and felt confident in their ability to destroy every bloodsucker that crossed their paths.

Even Zora was looking forward to the violence, eager to sink her teeth into marble and tear the newborns limb from limb. She was hurting, and the only solace she found from the pain was to hurt something else. She remained quiet despite the noise, staring at a small crack in ceiling.

"You should eat something else," Leah said, gazing at her friend with concern. She noticed the change in Zora, her refusal to smile, laugh, and banter both shocking and frightening. She was empty, and for Leah, staring at her blank expression was like staring into a mirror. She looked and felt the same way when Sam ended their relationship. She didn't like this darker version of Zora and decided she wouldn't let her stick around.

"I'm full already."

"You only had one serving. You need to eat more or else you're gonna get your ass kicked by some thirsty newborn."

A low growl escaped Zora. "I said I'm not hungry."

Everyone paused mid-conversation, staring at her with surprised looks. Not once had they heard her threaten her closest friend. They eyed Leah—who was grinning. She knew Zora's fighting spirit hadn't diminished. All she had to do was coax it out.

"Don't come crying to me when you need your life saved."

Zora's hands tightened into fists, her jaw clenched. _I don't need help and I don't need a savior. I'm not weak._ She knew Leah was trying to send her over the edge and seeing her smug smile did the trick.

"Zora…" Sam said disapprovingly, warning her.

She sprang from her chair, her body trembling so violently that she couldn't see straight. Leah gripped her arm and pulled her through the door, getting her off the porch and down the steps just in time as she exploded into her sleek, black wolf.

She was running, pushing herself to go faster. She felt numb, but the emptiness of her mind soothed her. Until Leah's thoughts joined hers.

" _Why are you following me?"_ she said bitterly. _"Go away."_

" _Can't I join my best friend on a nice run?"_

" _No,"_ she snarled.

She was headed for the cliffs. It was one of the only places that made her feel peaceful.

" _Planning on falling to your death? You know you'll survive."_

Zora bared her teeth. _"You're really starting to piss me off."_

She pictured herself lunging for Leah, wrapping her jaw around the back of her neck and pinning her to the ground. She hoped it would be enough to keep her away, but she should've known better.

The image made Leah bark with laughter. _"You can't scare me away, Medina."_

" _Why not? Why can't you just leave me alone?"_

" _Because I care about you, and I hate seeing you sad over an asshole like Jake."_

" _I'm not sad, Leah. I'm devastated."_ She recalled the sensation she felt after Jacob's confession – like an anchor tossed in water, she sank with a heaviness she couldn't fight, falling and falling until she hit the bottom.

" _I know_ exactly _how you feel,"_ Leah said.

Seeing Sam's guilt-ridden face made Zora angrier. _"Ugh! Why do guys suck?"_

They finally reached the cliffs, the smell of salt in the air as the waves swelled and crashed beneath them. They both shifted, Leah pulling on a large t-shirt and then offering one to Zora. "I knew you'd forget to bring a spare."

Zora couldn't fight the small grin pulling at her lips. "Well, I hadn't planned on destroying anymore of my clothes, but thanks."

They walked to the edge and sat, Zora swinging her legs back and forth as Leah stared into the ocean's horizon. The silence was comfortable, and gave her time to think even though she'd been doing a lot of that lately.

She hadn't spoken to Jacob in days and went out of her way to avoid him. Pack meetings made it difficult, but her resolve was strong. She wouldn't stand anywhere near him, not daring to even make eye contact. She was remaining true to her words and refused to falter. It reminded her of the early days, after they first met. He wanted nothing to do with her, making her feel lesser than the others. Now, the roles were reversed, and while it gave her a twisted sense of joy to know that he was hurting, too, she was sad that everything—the confessions and feelings and kiss—meant nothing now.

Having an imprint was hard, but having to accept an imprint falling for someone else was grueling. Still, she had no choice. It was what he wanted and no matter how much it pained her, she couldn't object. Their mystical, unyielding bond made sure of that.

A warm tear slid down her check and she wiped at it hastily, bitter that he still had a hold on her. "I don't want to cry anymore."

"So stop," Leah said dryly, still staring at the water.

"I'm trying, but…this shit hurts."

"It'll feel like that for a while. Some days, it'll be unbearable and you'll be desperate to make it stop, but you'll have to accept it. Welcome it, and eventually, you'll harden. It'll make you stronger."

"You sound like an expert."

Leah cracked a smile. "Was that an attempt to make a joke?"

"Maybe. Was it completely horrible?"

"You're a little rusty, but you did make me snort, so I'll give it a six out of ten."

Zora actually laughed, and the feeling was so great that she kept laughing.

"Have you gone completely insane?"

"No, just a little hysterical."

"I guess I'll take hysterical over depressed," Leah replied. "There's only room for one sad bitch in this pack and that's me."

Zora laughed again, pausing when Leah wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a side hug. Affection didn't come easy to her, and Zora could tell by her refusal to look at her that she was uncomfortable. Her arm hadn't moved, though, meaning she was enduring it for Zora's sake. She smiled to herself and leaned against Leah, staring into the horizon with her.

* * *

Evening had approached quickly, stars revealing themselves as the darkness swallowed the light. Although Zora had been trying to sleep, an unsettled stomach kept her awake. She felt anxious about the battle, anxious about the horde of bloodthirsty vampires she'd have to face.

Carlisle made sure to schedule her mother for a long shift so she'd be out of harm's way, but she was more concerned about her mother's well-being if she _didn't_ return home. So she climbed through her window quietly, securing a pair of clothes around her ankle before shifting and running through the night. She wasn't surprised to find she had company.

" _Hey, who said you could invade my space?"_ Embry questioned.

" _I didn't realize I had to ask permission,"_ she joked. She saw the night through his eyes, dark forest surrounding him as he ran freely. She could feel the nervous energy coating his thoughts, and it seemed as if he was trying to run away from something, too.

" _Now you're sifting through my thoughts_? _Unbelievable. You're right about me being nervous, though. I couldn't sleep, so I came out here instead."_

" _Same here. I kept tossing and turning."_

" _Wanna go get some food? Since we're both up, anyway."_

" _Where are we going to find food at this hour?"_

An image of a small, well-lit diner popped up. It was called "Kathy's Korner," and had a flashing, neon sign that read "24 hours."

" _The pancakes are amazing."_

" _I'm more of a French toast kind of girl…but seeing as I may never eat again, I'll accept your invitation."_

Both wolves changed course, guided by the light of the moon as they headed to Forks.

* * *

Zora sat across from Embry in a tight, mint-green booth, their knees knocking into each other every time they adjusted themselves. A song she didn't recognize danced through hidden speakers, the voice of a woman crooning in 1950's fashion. She figured Embry must have been a regular because a middle-aged waitress approached them with a friendly smile and two tall glasses of chocolate milk.

"What are you, a child?"

"Yes," he answered, drinking through a striped straw.

The waitress returned a few minutes later, carrying a tall stack of pancakes and two large plates of cinnamon French toast.

Her mouth watered at the sight of powdered sugar, wasting no time to douse the bread in butter and syrup. They ate silently, and she thought of how odd they must have looked—two freakishly tall teenagers ravenously eating freakishly large servings of food at two in the morning.

She chuckled, gaining the attention of Embry and an elderly couple sitting near them.

"What's so funny?" he grumbled, his mouth full.

"This just feels…so normal."

"What do you mean?"

"In a few hours, we're gonna have a showdown with a bunch of vampires, yet here we are, eating breakfast in the middle of the night." She spoke in a voice low enough that only he could hear. "This feels like the most normal thing I've done in a long time."

"Oh," he said, contemplating her words. "Yeah, I miss when things were simple, when I could hang out with my friends and not have to worry about anything supernatural."

She gave a small smile, feeling the same nostalgia. She began digging into her second plate when he said, "I haven't talked to him, y'know."

She tried to sound nonchalant. "And why would you do that?"

"I'm on your side."

She stopped mid-bite, staring up at him. "You are?"

"Of course. Jake's my best friend, but he's also a shit head. Quil and I gave him a pretty angry lecture about his dumb choices. He was upset, but what he did to you was so low."

Zora felt a lump forming in her throat, her eyes beginning to water. _So much for not crying anymore._ She gazed at him with a surprised expression, feeling both embarrassed for getting emotional and grateful that he stood up for her.

Embry wasn't fazed by her reaction and continued speaking casually. "I know you've only been in our lives a few months, but I consider you one of my best friends. I've got your back."

Her tears overflowed now, moistening her cheeks and chin. Those were the nicest words anyone had ever said to her, and though she despised being part of the pack, she realized that her life wouldn't be the same without it. She stood up and reached across the table, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Embry."

"Hey, now! Watch the pancakes."

She let him go, and the two of them laughed loudly together.

* * *

Night gave way to the earliest beginnings of morning, the sun taking its time as it rose over the trees. Zora and Embry decided to walk back to La Push, taking their time to appreciate the changing colors of the sky and the sounds of animals rising from their slumber.

The walk was long, but they hardly noticed, caught up in a lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of different superhero abilities. They were discussing invisibility by the time they reached the rez, so engrossed in the topic that they hadn't seen the figure sitting on the front steps of Embry's house.

Jacob cleared his throat, startling Zora and Embry. They looked away from each other, both alarmed as they noticed him.

Zora's heart fluttered frantically, a mix of emotions rushing through her as they locked eyes. There was sadness, frustration, longing, and the most prominent, anger. He was the _last_ person she wanted to see.

"Why are _you_ here?" she said indignantly.

"I needed to talk to Embry," he responded, eyes landing on his friend. "You weren't home, though. I figured I'd wait for you. I didn't realize you'd be _busy._ "

Zora glowered at him. She didn't like the jealous tone in his voice – he had no right. "You say that like you're accusing him of something."

"I am," he said hotly, mentally cursing himself. The words flew from his mouth before he could think. "He's…supposed to be resting and saving his energy for the fight."

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Why are you answering for him? He can speak for himself."

"Well, unlike you, he's my friend."

Jacob was standing now, his expression stony as he and Zora glared at each other. Like her, he was angry, but his anger stemmed from watching how well they worked together. He'd seen them walking towards Embry's house, completely immersed in one another, eyes bright and faces happy as they shared laughter. He couldn't stand it, and he especially hated the lazy way Embry leaned against her, his arm resting on her shoulder. He knew the touch was platonic, and he knew his jealousy was uncalled for, but he filled with rage anyway.

" _Unlike_ me? So what…we're not friends anymore?"

Zora laughed mirthlessly. "No! Were you even listening to anything I said?"

"Of course I was!" he shouted back. "But I thought—"

"That I'd change my mind? Trust me, I won't."

Her words seemed to work. He looked dejected, his hard exterior melting away. The worst part was she _wanted_ to console him. Every cell in her body told her to march up to the big jerk and wrap her arms around him. It was an extremely difficult feeling to fight, but she managed, not moving an inch.

"You know how I feel about you," she began, her tone melancholy, "and you know why I won't be your friend. As deeply as it hurts me, I've accepted your choice. So please, stop making it so hard to forget about you and leave me alone."

Not wanting to see whatever broken expression she knew he was wearing, she turned around and bid an uncomfortable-looking Embry farewell. Though the desolation lingered on her walk home, she felt something she hadn't felt in days – strength and control.

* * *

 **AN:**

To all of the people who've left comments, who've subscribed and favorited this story, thank you so, so much! I truly get excited when I see how many of you are enjoying my writing. I apologize for the long wait, but I hope you like it!

And Happy Halloween! :-)


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

"Remember, whatever happens, we protect each other. We're not losing anyone today."

Sam's words echoed through the pack mind, his voice ringing with finality. Each of the wolves hummed in agreement, focused on scent, sight, and hearing as they awaited the arrival of the newborns.

They hid in a meadow saturated with Bella's scent – a false trail. If Alice's prediction was correct, then the newborns would split into two groups: one for the Cullens and the other headed straight for a death they hadn't anticipated.

" _Her prediction_ will _be correct,"_ Seth said to Zora, miles away on a snowy mountaintop with Edward and Bella.

She ignored him, training her watering eyes on wind-blown trees. It wasn't the wind, though brisk and strong as it was, that brought her to tears. Thanks to Seth's position, she and the others had been given a front-row seat to Jacob and Bella's carelessness. They kissed, and she saw everything—Bella begging him to stay, saying she'd do _anything_ to keep him beside her, alive and away from the conflict, and finally, asking him to kiss her. He obliged and the two found themselves wrapped around each other.

The sight had frozen Zora to her spot, her eyes wide and full of horror. He kissed her roughly, eagerly, a hand buried in her hair as the other gripped the small of her back. Even worse, she kissed him back with the same intensity, her apprehension nonexistent as her arms wound around his neck.

A fresh wave of heartbreak found her, and it took all of her strength not to buckle beneath its weight. She knew he had made his choice, but to see him flaunt it so openly, to watch him declare his love made her want to disappear. She'd been ready to run, ready to shift and be human and tear herself away from everything when Sam commanded her to stay. He ordered her to push the ordeal to the back of her mind, to forget about her feelings for the time being, and to focus her attention on destroying the newborns. When Jacob joined them, Sam gave him the same order, forbidding him from thinking about what had transpired between him and Bella. He was extremely unhappy with Jacob—for Zora's sake and for jeopardizing the strength of the pack for a girl.

And so Jacob and Zora remained on opposite sides of the line they stood in, one wracked with anger and guilt, and the other struggling to bury their sadness.

The wolves could hear the first group engaged in battle with the Cullens and readied themselves for their turn. A frigid breeze blew down from the snow-covered mountain, and with it, the sickeningly sweet stench of vampire. Zora felt her body shake, but it wasn't from the cold. Leah stood next to her, nudging her reassuringly before crouching, ready to spring. Zora followed suit, and as soon as the newborns entered the trap, eyes fiendish and hungry, the pack pounced.

Screams of terror filled the air as the newborns caught side of the gigantic wolves. They had no idea of their existence and the wolves used it to their advantage. Some of the vampires tried running, tackled to the ground and ripped apart as soon as their backs turned. Others, crazed with thirst, stayed and fought.

The nimble teamwork of the pack was a fascinating sight, and for a split moment, Zora stared wide-eyed and marveling. But it was time for her to work. She engaged a brunette vampire who sneered at her with disgust. They circled each other, sharp eyes calculating where to deliver the fatal blow. She remembered Jasper's words— _don't go for the easy kill_ —and broke the dance, lunging from the side and catching the vampire off guard. Her teeth found the vampire's shoulder, clamping down and tearing through cold, hard flesh. An ear-splitting screech escaped her, horrified at the missing chunk of her body. She grabbed at Zora, who was faster and side-swept the vampire once more. Holding a twitching leg in her mouth, Zora whipped the appendage into the forest and ran at the mangled woman a third time. Disoriented and in pain, the vampire was unable to move quickly. Zora took a bite out of her torso, and the screaming woman fell to the ground. Zora worked quickly—ripping at her remaining arm and leg, separating her head from her neck—until she was a pale pile of skin and limbs.

" _Good job,"_ Sam encouraged.

Fueled by adrenaline, she moved faster, working alongside her pack mates to decimate the newborns. She was having _fun_ , and it was such a strange revelation that she barked a laugh. Leah agreed, feeling joy at tearing sentient beings apart. The joy didn't last long, however, as Seth, who was told by Edward to return to the pack and avoid the danger on the mountain, stayed to aid him in fighting the creators of the newborn army. The wolves saw him attacking a vampire named Riley; and Edward who kept a protective stance in front of Bella as the red-headed Victoria advanced towards them.

Leah was distraught, and as difficult as it was to watch her little brother fight alone, she couldn't go to him. Zora rubbed her head against Leah's shoulder, assuring her that Seth would be safe. Leah nodded, and though the worry was still present, she fought with more vigor.

Only a handful of vampires remained, each battling two wolves at a time. Zora was facing off with a large male who reminded her of Emmett. His strength was tenfold, and despite the effort she and Quil made in attacking him, they weren't inflicting enough damage. They circled him, communicating to each other that one would lunge for the upper body while the other targeted the lower body. Just as they flew at him, he delivered a punch to Quil's jaw and a kick to Zora's abdomen. She was flying, landing against a tree. She felt the snapping of her ribs and shoulders, momentarily frozen by the pain as her bones began stitching themselves back together. She swore, but it came out as a whimper.

The vampire was smart and surmised that the injured noise she was making meant she was more injured than Quil – and easier to kill. He advanced, and just as she jumped to her feet, unsteady but ready to fight despite the pain, a large, russet wolf attacked and tore his head off in one, swift motion.

" _That was a close one,"_ Jacob muttered.

" _Yeah…"_ she nodded, an unwanted feeling of gratitude and something else she didn't like bubbling up. _"Thanks."_

" _No problem."_

He ran off, and Zora stared after him as he joined Embry.

" _Focus,"_ she heard someone say, but was unsure if it was a fabrication of her mind or one of the wolves. She shook her head, following the advice of the voice anyway. They were almost done, only two vampires left for them to destroy. Embry and Jared took one down easily, pieces of the leech's body thrown about haphazardly. The other was surrounded – Zora and Leah at the front and Jacob and Quil positioned behind it. The vampire was missing two arms, hissing and snapping its teeth in what was supposed to be a threatening manner.

" _This is kind of sad,"_ Quil said. _"We should put her out of her misery."_

" _She looks pathetic,"_ Leah replied, huffing with taunting laughter.

" _What are we waiting for then?"_ Zora stated before charging for the newborn, her sharp teeth biting into the crook of the vampire's neck. The other three followed after her, ripping at her torso and legs.

She had been the final kill.

They were finished and the battle was won – for the Cullens, for Edward and Seth on the mountain, and for the pack. Zora was filled with triumph. Despite her original fears and the doubt that consumed her, she survived...and looked like a bad-ass wolf warrior in the process. Bouncing with each step, she helped Sam and Paul round up the remains into a large pile. All that was left was to set the pile aflame and retreat from the meadow before the Volturi arrived.

Thanks to Alice's visions, they knew they had a few minutes left, but all it took was a few seconds for the victory to be ruined.

Everything happened fast. Across the meadow, a vampire moved from its hiding spot; Leah, bold and unthinking, engaged the vampire alone. She was quick, but he was quicker, catching her from behind, ready to crush her to death. Jacob leapt for them and pushed her out of the way just in time. The vampire wrapped his arms around Jacob's torso and crushed him instead.

The wolves could feel every sensation in that moment—the breaking of the right side of his body; his arm, ribs, and leg snapping from the unrivaled strength of a newborn. It was agonizing, but for Zora, it was _unbearable_. His pain was her pain, and like him, she howled in anguish.

They all ran to him, terrified and anxious as he lay on the ground silent and unconscious. The Cullen's came gliding into the meadow, on edge and warning the wolves that the Volturi would arrive soon. Carlisle wasted no time in assessing the damage, and while he quickly examined Jacob, the wolves looked around frantically.

" _Did anyone get him?"_ Quil questioned.

They stared at each other, thoughts racing, trying to remember. And then tensed, horrified. The vampire escaped.

The realization filled Zora with a fury worse than the one that first made her shift. That fucking vampire hurt _her_ imprint and would not live to see another day. The pack heard her thought, but before they could register the determination in her words, she had taken off in the vampire's direction.

* * *

" _ZORA, NO!"_

The voices of her pack sounded off like a canon, loud and deafening. They couldn't reach her in time – she was too fast, powered by vengeance, by a desire to kill.

They called after her, pleading and desperate. She heard the angry voices of Leah and Embry who begged her to turn around. And she heard Sam who ordered her to return _at once_. Strangely enough, the command was empty. She didn't feel the grip of his authority and kept running.

Through her pack's eyes, she could see their panicked interaction with the Cullens. They were told they had three minutes to escape before the Volturi arrived, ancient vampires who wouldn't hesitate to kill them. Carlisle assured that he would tend to Jacob as soon as his encounter with the Volturi ended.

"As for the girl…" he said solemnly, trailing off. He shook his head as if to say "it's too late."

Sam was livid, his anger the strongest Zora had ever felt. He told the wolves to shift back to their human form and quickly carry Jacob back to La Push. She heard and saw their protests, but he cut them off.

" _That's an order."_

Dejected, nervous, and frightened, they obeyed his command. Leah was the last to linger, the fear in her voice breaking Zora's heart.

" _Zora, please—"_

" _GO NOW!"_ Sam shouted.

She had no choice but to listen and follow his order.

Now, it was only Zora and Sam – who was running out of time. He could see that she was headed further and further, and the alpha in him _hated_ that he wasn't able to protect one of his own.

" _Zora,"_ he began, mustering all of his alpha power, _"you_ will _stop pursuing that vampire, you_ will _turn around, and you_ will _come home."_

She came to a momentary stop, teetering as she felt the command in his words. She was torn between her anger and his, could feel the pull of her vengeance and his authority. But it wasn't enough. Her wrath was stronger.

" _If I don't come back, tell my mom I love her. Tell Leah and Embry that I'm sorry, And…tell Jacob that I did it for him."_

Her mind was thunderous with his rage…and then, it fell silent. He was gone, and she was alone.

She pushed herself to move faster, feeling no fear as she followed the vampire's trail. His scent was clear, and though her seconds-long pause gave him a wider berth, she swore that she would catch him and destroy him.

* * *

 **AN:**

I am so excited that I finally got to this moment. It was one of the first scenes I thought of when planning this story. Crucial not only for Zora, but everyone else in the pack.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading! I'd love to hear some of your predictions about what could happen. :-) Thank you for your continuous support!


	20. Chapter 20

**_AN_ : As promised, here is the revised chapter. I deleted the last chapter so that those of you who already read it/reviewed would be notified. A guest reviewer said they would've loved to see Leah break the news to him, so I wrote her in instead and I think it came out much better than the previous version! I hope you enjoy. :-)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINETEEN**

Back on the rez, that atmosphere was tense.

All of the wolves gathered in Jacob's too small living room, wringing their hands, biting their nails, or absentmindedly bouncing their legs. Carlisle had to re-break all of his bones so they'd heal properly, his curses and cries of pain unsettling them.

They pictured the same thing happening to Zora, her screams going unheard in the darkness of the forest. They could only imagine the worst; she was alone and she wasn't an experienced fighter like some of the others.

"This is your fault," Paul accused Leah. "If you hadn't tried to show off—"

She cut him off with her fist, her knuckles colliding with his mouth. She could feel his teeth sinking into her skin, but she wasn't affected.

"OUT!" Billy and Sam shouted simultaneously, the latter following her through the door.

She was seething, her body trembling and her vision blurred. She was crying and hadn't realized it until Sam wiped at her tears.

"Don't you fucking touch me," she growled, pushing him away forcefully.

He stumbled back, staring at her sadly. "Leah—"

"You didn't stop her!" she sobbed. "She wouldn't listen to me, but…I thought she was supposed to listen to you! She wasn't supposed to have a choice."

He walked towards her calmly, cautiously. "I know."

"But how…how did she…"

"I don't know. And honestly, I-I don't quite understand."

Leah's world closed in on her—stifling, suffocating. She breathed faster, labored, her throat tightening, not allowing any oxygen in. She'd only had two panic attacks in her life: one when Sam broke up with her and one when her father passed away. Zora added a third one to the list.

She struggled to breathe now, and it terrified her—until she felt a pair of strong arms holding her tightly. Sam was hugging her. She hadn't felt his embrace in _so_ long…and while her first instinct was to push him away, to yell and swear and ask him how dare he put his hands on her, she fell limp in his arms and cried.

"I hate you. She-she's my best friend. I-I can't lose her. But you didn't stop her, and I h-hate you for it."

Sam kept quiet. All he could do was hold her against him and listen as she wept.

* * *

Zora lost him.

The vampire's scent had followed a straight path for miles, and then suddenly veered left. She traced it, but the further it went, the less pronounced it became.

" _Shit!"_

She'd been running for hours now, the sun setting long ago. She had only the dim light of a half-moon to guide her and the sounds of insects chirping to keep her company. The forest was denser, and she speculated that she was further up the coast – far from Forks and even further from La Push. If any of her pack mates were in their wolf form, she couldn't hear them. Although she was used to their vacancy, this emptiness was different. Knowing that she was so far away that she couldn't communicate with anyone was strange and lonely.

She wouldn't stop, though. She remembered the feeling of Jacob's bones breaking, the agony that coursed through him and the smug look the vampire wore. She may have been hungry and slowly losing energy, but she would keep running. She wasn't going to let the bloodsucker live.

* * *

When Jacob finally came to, he was unbelievably thirsty. His eyes, heavy and unfocused, darted around his dark room. Next to his small bed was an equally small desk, and sitting on it was a cup of water. He grabbed for it, groaning when his healing bones protested. Still, he stretched until his fingers wrapped around the cool glass. With his right arm in a sling, he couldn't hold himself up and drink at the same time. He shifted around painfully, spilling water in the process as he tried moving to an upright position. He managed to lean his head against the wall, and while it wasn't enough, it would have to do. He swallowed the water in one large gulp, the stagnant liquid soothing his dry mouth and throat. He sighed, half refreshed and half annoyed. Dropping the cup on the ground, he looked to the window and noticed the faintest amount of light cutting through the dark sky. It was dawn, meaning he'd been unconscious for quite some time. Had it been hours or days?

He sighed again, his irritation rising. Everything happened so fast that it was almost a blur. One moment, they were piling bodies, and the next, he was pushing Leah out of harm's way, feeling as if he'd be snapped in half. He remembered the paralyzing pain, the panicked reassurances from his pack mates that he'd be okay, someone shouting Zora's name, and then more pain as the vamp doctor re-broke his bones. He remembered waking on and off, closing his eyes to the worried looks of his friends and opening them to his father sitting beside him, clutching his good hand. Or Carlisle checking his vitals. He could faintly recall seeing Edward wearing an expression of concern and pity. And Bella, who admitted on the mountaintop that she accepted her bloodsucker's cold hand in marriage. Bella…who didn't choose him.

His heart hurt, but more than anything, he was irritated because Zora's words echoed in his head. _She will choose him._ She'd been right, of course, and though a very small part of him knew that she would be, he held onto his fierce hope that Bella would prove everyone wrong. But she hadn't, and now he was stuck in his bed, encased in a bunch of metal braces, frowning as he wondered why he couldn't recall Zora's face in the blurred memory of his visitors.

He laid still and thinking for so long that he hadn't noticed the sunlight streaming into his room. His body was sore and stiff, and trying to stretch his left arm and leg proved to be more painful than the movement he'd made earlier.

"Motherfucker!" he shouted, groaning loudly.

Billy rolled into his room seconds later, eyes wide and alarmed. "What? What is it, son? Are you in pain? Should I ask the doc for more morphine?"

Jacob's anger simmered upon hearing the fear in his father's voice. He appeared haggard, dark circles under his eyes, worry etched into the lines on his forehead. He hadn't seen Billy look that vulnerable since the funeral – Jacob's mom's funeral.

"I'm alright, Dad," he said, guilt settling in his stomach.

"You sure I can't get you anything?"

"No, I'm…I'm okay. And I'm sorry that I worried you."

Billy's expression softened. "You don't have to be sorry about anything. Just…sit tight. I'll bring you some breakfast."

He rolled out of the room, but not before giving Jacob a lingering glance.

The rest of Jacob's morning passed slowly. Billy insisted that he feed him, so he laid in bed like a temperamental toddler as his father spooned oatmeal into his mouth. The pack arrived shortly after, each taking turns to sit in his room. He noticed that everyone was on edge, their eyes darting to the window every few minutes. Sam seemed the most anxious, his responses curt and emotionless. Jacob didn't like it – whatever was bothering him made him nervous, too. When he asked what was troubling him, Sam shook his head slowly, his expression morbid as he said, "Nothing."

It was _clearly_ something, but they all kept their mouths sealed shut.

This worsened Jacob's mood, and by the afternoon, a permanent scowl remained on his face. Obviously, he hadn't expected Leah to visit him, even though she _was_ the reason he was momentarily crippled. But Zora…he thought she would've at least stopped by to ask Billy how he was doing.

 _Maybe she doesn't want to see me,_ he thought, _I've been a complete asshole and she probably thinks I deserve what happened._

He exhaled slowly, shaking the thoughts from his mind. While she was most likely angry with him, he knew she wasn't cruel. Still, he reasoned that he had no right to wish for her presence. Out of all of the times he hurt her, he knew that having to watch him and Bella kiss inflicted the most pain – pain that hadn't been worth it.

He used his uninjured hand to rub his tired face. He didn't want to be cooped up in his room anymore. His body may have been healing at a rapid rate, but he wasn't able to move much. He'd be stuck in bed for several days.

He huffed and closed his eyes, dozing off after a few slow breaths. At first, he dreamt of nothing, but his mind soon went to work.

 _He was back in the meadow, standing tall and healed as he watched two figures moving a far distance away from him. He was in his human body as he walked forward, eyes squinting as he tried to focus on the scene ahead of him._

 _There was a man gliding around with inhuman speed, pale skin glinting in the sunlight. His eyes were red and ravenous – a vampire. Running after him was an animal with black fur, and he wasn't able to make out what it was until he moved closer. It was a wolf limping as if it was injured. Still, it persisted with its attack, and though he could sense its resolve, it wasn't quick enough. The vampire gave a swift kick as the wolf was in mid-air, the blow landing with a sickening crunch against its shoulder. The wolf whimpered as it flew backwards, hitting the ground and skidding along the cool grass._

 _Jacob spotted something that made his stomach drop. Against the black sleekness of its fur sat a white spot on its neck—the same one Zora had. The immobile wolf was_ her, _and his eyes widened in terror as the vampire stalked forward._

 _He was sprinting, arms pumping through the air as he ran to her. Only his body wouldn't move as fast as he wanted it to. No matter how hard he pushed, he ran in slow motion._

 _And he didn't reach her in time._

 _Still running, he watched, horrified, as the vampire placed his hands on either side of her head, and after lifting her in the air, twisted her neck at an unnatural angle. He heard a loud snap, her heart slowing to a complete stop._

 _The air stilled around him, still as the heart he no longer heard beating. And then his world came crashing down. He didn't reach her in time, and now she was dead. He screamed and screamed, frozen in place, sobbing and trying to make his tremoring legs move and—_

He awoke with a jolt, a rapid thrumming in his chest as he breathed heavily. A pair of narrowed brown eyes was looking down at him, scrutinizing him with contempt.

"What the—I can't believe my dad let _you_ in. What do you want?" Jacob said to Leah, feeling perturbed from both the scene in his head and her towering over him. She stared at him with so much malice that it made him uncomfortable. "And why do you look so angry? I should be the one who's mad at you."

She laughed bitterly, the skin around her eyes red and puffy. "Be mad, then. It makes no difference to me." She pulled up a chair and sat in front him, her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm here because I have something important to tell you and no one else had the balls to do it."

"Listen, if you're here to insult me—"

"No, _you_ listen!" she exclaimed, already incensed. "It's not about you! Not everything is about you! So shut your god damn mouth for once and hear me out."

He fell silent, blinking and dumbfounded. He'd been on the receiving end of her anger a few times and knew arguing with her would prove to be a pointless task. But this anger seemed different, more serious and emotional. And as he watched her fists clench and unclench, her swollen eyes watering, he knew that whatever it was she was going to tell him would affect him, too.

"Zora's gone."

The moment she spoke, he felt dizzy, his head spinning so quickly that he felt nauseous. _Zora's gone._ The same earth-shattering feeling he experienced in his dream came rushing back, crushing him as he pictured her lifeless form. _Zora's gone._ The snapping noise echoed in his head and it took all of his will power not to vomit.

"Where is she?" he whispered.

Leah sniffed, quickly wiping at her tears. "After you pulled that heroic stunt and got yourself injured, the bloodsucker got away and she followed him."

Despite the pain, his body trembled, the wolf in him begging for release. _No,_ he thought, _that dream can't be real. It's not true._ He stared at Leah with wide, fearful eyes. "No one stopped her?"

"I tried...and Sam gave her a command to come back. She was somehow able to ignore it."

He frowned, a nervous sweat covering his body as his heart hammered wildly. Disobeying a direct order should've been impossible. She shouldn't have been able to get away. "Have you heard from her?"

She shook her head stiffly, her expression hard.

"Has anyone looked for? Someone has to go after her!"

"Sam and some of the guys are out there right now. Some of the golden-eyed leeches even offered to help." Leah exhaled a shaky breath, trying to retain her composure. "Her scent isn't very prominent anymore. It snowed again and covered some of her tracks."

Jacob's shaking worsened, and though his injuries screamed out to him, he was close to jumping out of his bed and leaping through the window. "She can't be that far. We have to go, too. We have to help—"

"Are you kidding me?" she spat. "Look at yourself. Half of your body is broken and if you shift, you'd probably end up killing yourself. You'd be useless."

He growled then, a mixture of anger and desperation coursing through him. He pushed himself to an upright position, grimacing as his healing bones protested. "I wouldn't be useless if you hadn't tried to play the hero!"

"Oh, here we go again!" she exclaimed, rising out of her chair. It fell backwards with a loud thud. "Yes, I admit it—it's my fault that your stupid body is injured! But it's not my fault that she's gone! That's on you!" She was full of rage, her shoulders rising and falling as she breathed heavily. Even staring at him made her furious.

Jacob gave her an incredulous look, matching her rage. "Why the hell are you blaming this on me?"

"Because she's in love with you, you fucking idiot!"

He'd been ready with a spiteful comeback, but his response disappeared, her words rendering him speechless. He gaped at her as if she'd just slapped him across the face, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Ugh, don't look so surprised, Black," she sneered. "It's common fucking sense. She wouldn't do something so risky if she didn't feel that deeply for you. She hasn't said anything to me, and maybe she hasn't even realized it yet, but she's _been_ in love with you."

He was sinking again, his heart soaring for a moment before plummeting back down. After everything he'd done and said, she was… _in love_ with him? He shook his head, repulsed with himself.

Leah watched the guilt flash across his face and made a repugnant noise. "That's right. I _hope_ you feel terrible. I hope you feel shitty and disgusted with yourself. I've held my tongue for a while now for her sake, but she's not here anymore, so I'm done. I don't like you, Jacob. And I won't put up with your bullshit, but she _has_ to because for some odd, ridiculous reason, she imprinted on _you_. Of all the people she could've ended up with—Embry, who would've been better for her or hell, even Paul—she's stuck with your selfish ass." She paused, huffing loudly, eyes gleaming wildly. "You don't deserve her, and I _so_ desperately wish she'd imprinted on someone else. But I can't change anything, she can't, and neither can you."

She was standing over him again, jabbing a finger into the right side of his chest. "If… _when_ she comes back, you either need to own up to your own feelings or let her go. It'll be the worst pain you've ever caused her, but she'll move on eventually, and she'll find someone who will _actually_ love her the way she deserves to be loved. Do you understand?"

His mind was reeling. Zora was in love with him. After all this time, after every single instance where he'd put her feelings last, where he'd watched her brood and cry because of him, she _still_ loved him. He felt sick and irate all at once, his body heavy with sadness. Leah was right—he didn't deserve her.

"Answer the question," she said firmly, pushing against him with more force and feeling satisfied when he winced. "Do you understand?"

He locked eyes with her and nodded, his jaw clenched as his bottom lip trembled.

"Good." She prodded him roughly one last time, then whipped around and headed for the door.

"Wait," he called out meekly. "I had a dream…about her. She…she didn't survive."

He watched a tremor roll down her back, her hands tightening into fists. "Then let's hope your stupid dream is wrong. Because if it isn't, I won't hesitate to make you wish your life had ended instead."

With that, she stormed from his room.


	21. Chapter 21

_**AN**_ :

I know - it's odd that I'm placing an author's note at the beginning of the chapter instead of the end, but I figured you're more likely to read it at the beginning. Just a head's up that it will be long! And super important.

First, happy holidays, my lovely readers! I am sorry it took me so long to update. I intended to post another chapter weeks ago, but I was busy with an online class, writing a final paper, and taking the actual final that I couldn't spare a moment to update. I was also traveling with my mom from Dec. 20-25, and we actually visited Port Angeles, Forks, and some of the beaches in La Push. The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful, magical place, and I urge everyone to go if you ever get the opportunity. I especially loved Olympic National Park. The trees and the mountains are breathtaking.

Second, happy birthday to this story! I posted it on a whim Dec. 3 of last year, and I honestly didn't think people would be interested in reading it. Mostly, I posted it for myself and wanted to hold myself accountable to actually finish a fanfic. I'm happy that some of you have stuck with me for so long. Your continued support definitely makes a difference.

And third, I've been doing a lot of thinking about this story and the Indigenous characters of Stephanie Meyer's _Twilight_ saga. She did a tragic disservice to the Quileute people and their legends, using their creation story—which does actually include the transformation of wolves into people—as a plot device. **The Quileute legends have no mention of "Cold Ones," no "Spirit Wolves" or "Taha Aki," and their transformation from human to wolf was not dependent upon the presence of (white) vampires. Meyer created a false, white-washed narrative about the Indigenous people of the Quileute tribe when she could have used their inclusion in her story to educate people about Quileute history and culture. Even worse, they never received any compensation for their unwilling inclusion in Meyer's books and the movies. What good is representation when it's not even an accurate portrayal? It is sad and infuriating that this happens to many, if not all, marginalized groups in the United States, but especially so for Indigenous Americans.**

I was around thirteen or fourteen when I first read Twilight, and being so young, I wasn't aware of any of the harm being done to the real Indigenous Americans of the Quileute tribe. But now that I'm older, I can educate myself about the historically cruel treatment of Indigenous people in the U.S. at the hands of white Europeans (and their descendants in the present), and how this cruel treatment is perpetuated in fiction (via stereotypes, minimization, and misrepresentation).

Continuing to write this story feels like I am contributing to Meyer's white-washed narrative, and as a non-white person who wants to be an ally to all oppressed people of color, it feels wrong to keep going. However, I've decided that I'll see this story through, but on multiple conditions. **I urge any of you reading this to please, please, please conduct your own research on the misrepresentation of the Quileute nation in the _Twilight_ series. Please read about their actual legends. Please read about what it means to "white wash" an oppressed people's history, culture, and experience. Please read about settler colonialism and how it has affected Indigenous Americans centuries after the first "settlers"—aka colonizers—s** **et foot in North America. Please seek out works by actual Indigenous Americans. Please read about how Meyer used her privilege to capitalize off of the lives of a people whose land, livelihood, and human rights were stripped from them. She is only one of many white authors, artists, and filmmakers to do so.**

 **The least that all of us can do is be aware of the multitude of issues Indigenous Americans face.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY**

A piercing screech filled the night air as Zora tore an arm from the vampire's body. He bellowed in pain, stumbling backwards, watching with hate-filled eyes as she flung the limb among the darkness of the trees.

She thought she'd lost him, his scent nearly disappearing in a forest unknown to her. She felt a rush of emotions—fright, panic, regret. What had been the point in following after him if she couldn't find him? For a moment, she was defeated, each passing second allowing him to move further away from her. She would have to turn around and pathetically head home, face the wrath of Sam, her pack mates, and her mom. Or worse, the vampire would find _her_.

And then, by some sort of sheer luck, she'd caught a whiff of his sickeningly sweet stench, a gentle breeze carrying it to her. The scent was strong, potent, and she realized she was close to him after all. She followed in the direction of where the wind blew, spotting his tracks on the ground as the odor became stronger and more nauseating.

 _The crafty bastard must've laid a false trail_ , she thought, partially humored and wholly annoyed that he tried to outwit her.

His effort was in vain, however, because she found him. His back was turned, his body crouched over a squirming deer. He seemed to be staring intently at it, but hadn't sunken his teeth into the animal's flesh. _He's probably hesitant._ From what she'd been told, animal blood tasted nothing like human blood. And seeing as there were no humans in the vicinity, he must've been desperate. His thirst must've been so intense that he was willing to consume an animal, so controlled by the burning in his throat that he didn't notice Zora edge closer to him.

 _He hasn't fed in hours. He'll be weak. I'll kill him easily._

The deer was still struggling in his grip, and the moment the bloodsucker made up his mind, dipping his head to take a bite, she lunged. A large, sharp claw dug into his back, tearing through his shirt and marble flesh. A roar of anger left him as he whipped around, the deer springing up and leaping away from them. As his body turned, he'd lifted his right arm in an attempt to strike her. She was prepared for his attack, catching the limb in her mouth and ripping it from his shoulder socket.

Now, they stood glowering at each other, both wracked with fury and hunger and an eagerness to end one another once and for all.

"If you didn't smell so disgusting, I'd be draining you of all your blood right now."

His voice was smooth and alluring, the polar opposite of what she expected of a vampire with pitch black eyes and a terrifying scowl on his face. He was clutching at his shoulder, his fingers coated with a mysterious liquid. Zora almost retched. _Is he leaking…venom?_

"I know you're not some giant, brainless animal – even though you look like one. You and the others still have some humanity left in you. I saw it when I crushed that brown wolf. He turned into a broken, fragile boy."

She stiffened, a low growl exiting her muzzle. The memory was fresh and painful, the smirk that spread across his face after he hurt Jacob fueling her chase. _He's taunting you,_ she told herself. _Don't let him get to you._

He wore a crazed smile. "Once we're done here, I think I'll head back and finish what I started."

 _On second thought, fuck it._

She launched herself at him, and he ran for her at the same moment, the two meeting in a head-in collision. She snapped her large, sharp teeth, attempting to tear another chunk from his upper body, but he struck first, his hand colliding with her chest in a back-handed blow. The impact sent her flying backwards, her tumbling lasting less than a second as she landed on all fours.

She could feel her collarbone repositioning itself and swore; the pain was dull, but it didn't last. She was more concerned about the bloodsucker's strength. Even with eyes black as coal and a throat drier than a drought-ridden desert, a small hit sent her through the air. _Goddamn newborns_ , she huffed. _Be more cautious. There's no one here to back you up. It's all on you._

She breathed deeply and focused, her eyes trained on the glaring vampire in front of her. He lazily beckoned her forward, his pointer finger waving in a slow, bored motion. She sprinted at him again, focusing her gaze on his legs. He readied for her attack, preparing himself to jump and avoid her hit when she leapt over him at the last second, strong jaws locking around his arm-less shoulder. She bit down and took another chunk of cold, hard flesh.

He was shrieking again, an ear-splitting cry of anger and pain disrupting the tranquility of the forest. He watched as she spit the piece of his body from her mouth, her lips pulling back into a sneer as she growled. She made a motion with her head to call _him_ forward, and he realized with frightening clarity that she _could_ kill him. Riley hadn't prepared him or the others for a fight against powerful animals, and he certainly hadn't prepared him to be chased to the ends of the earth by a wolf with a vendetta. Everything had been for naught—the training and the hunt for the human girl. His friends, if they could even be referred to as such, were dead. Riley was dead. And he would be next.

He ran, disregarding his missing arm and shoulder as he raced into the cover of tall evergreens.

 _Really?_ Zora thought in irritation, sighing as she followed after him. _What a coward._ Her paws thudded heavily against the ground, her body a dark blur as she moved with speed and agility. At this point, all she had to do was bite into him a few more times. And then, it dawned on her— _what the hell am I supposed to set his body on fire with?_ She howled in frustration, still running after the leech but losing sight of his pasty back. A continuous stream of swear words flowed through her mind. _Shit! How could I forget something so important? What am I supposed to do, start a fire with sticks? Actually…yeah. That could work. I'll find some sticks and rub them together really, really fast and the friction will make them catch…flame…? God, I hope this works. I hope—_

She cut off her train of thought, so engrossed in her inner turmoil that she'd lost the vampire. Again. She pressed her nose into the moss-covered ground hastily, his scent nowhere to be found. She howled, the noise loud and distressed. _You've got to be fucking kidding me! I lost him – again! Think, Zora._ She paced back and forth nervously. _Last time, he led me on a false trail, but he's injured now. He's got to be hiding…but where?_ She immediately looked up, eyes focusing on the swaying tree tops. _He could up there, watching and calculating his next move_. She decided she'd climb that damn tree and drag him down by his neck. She stepped back a few paces, readying to jump onto a thick branch with a running start. Then a flash of white moved in her peripheral vision, and though her reflexes were quick, she hadn't moved fast enough to avoid a powerful kick to her side.

"You're not the only one who can play tricks," the vampire hissed, eyeing her with satisfaction as her body landed against the trunk of a tree.

A searing pain spread throughout the left side of her ribs, her desperate gasping for air alerting her that the bones were broken. She suspected that something had stuck into her back, her fur feeling wet and the smell of blood wafting around her. Whatever it was, it didn't hurt as much as a broken rib cage. She tried moving to an upright position, but her legs buckled beneath her.

The vampire stalked towards her slowly, enjoying her struggle as she tried to stand. He laughed, the empty noise reverberating through the darkness. "When you and the other mongrels jumped out of hiding, I'll admit that I was scared. I was turned to hunt down a human…I was promised her blood"—he paused, the memory of Bella's scent intensifying the ache in his throat—"It was supposed to be easy. But you showed up and destroyed everything." He stood in front her now, delivering another swift kick to her hurting body.

It was Zora's turn to shriek, the noise sounding like a strangled whimper as she writhed in pain. Her healing bones snapped in half again. She stared up at him with as much malice as she could conjure, her eyes never leaving his as he crouched down to her level.

"I'm not sure why I was so terrified of you. You're nothing more than an overgrown puppy. And look at you now – incapacitated and subjected to my will."

His face was so close that his cold, sweet breath fanned across the bridge of her nose. _I could end him how_ , she thought, convincing herself not to vomit. _I could rip—_

Another howl flew from her throat, guttural and agonized and reminiscent of a human scream. The vampire's good hand clamped down on one of her front legs, gripping so tight that the whole bone felt as if it shattered.

"An arm for an arm, right?"

He was grinning, his soft chuckle drowned out by her laborious efforts to breathe. The slightest intake of breath magnified every twinge of pain.

She'd once had the upper hand, but their roles were reversed. _He's going to kill me._ And then, she finally felt it—fear. She hadn't been afraid to abandon her pack and chase after the bloodsucker. She hadn't even been afraid when she momentarily lost him. But she felt fear now, fresh and real and goddamn debilitating. Her heart pounded against her chest, her vision clouding with tears. She was going to die, and it wasn't going to be some noble, glorious, heroic ending. She was going to die in a forest foreign to her, alone and in the dark and failing to exact the vengeance that brought her there.

She was suddenly angry with herself, angry about the loneliness and despair her absence would force upon her mother and her best friends. And angry that she would never see Jacob again. The heat of his gaze, the laughter in his voice, the brightness of his smile—all would be lost to her. He could live without her, but watching the leech almost end his life made her realize that she couldn't live without him. He was her imprint, the sun she orbited, and she refused to live in a world where he didn't exist. She'd give up her life to save him.

Only, he didn't need saving. She knew he was alive, could sense it despite their distance. He was safe and she was a fool for putting herself in harm's way; a fool who wanted to prove her unyielding dedication; a fool who secretly hoped her disappearance would cause him to wake the fuck up and _see_ her; a fool in love.

It would've been so easy for her to give up. Any remnants of strength were quickly waning, and the injuries she sustained hurt so terribly that she didn't want to move. She could've laid there and accepted her fate, closed her eyes and welcomed an eternity of silence.

The vampire's fingers had found her shoulder, squeezing with enough force to her break the bone, but not hard enough to break it quickly. The demented look on his face was one of pure enjoyment, and she reasoned that he intended to kill her slowly, torturing her to the very end.

She was howling again, another desperate cry echoing around them, and she thought of never-ending peace. It grew more inviting, calling her to give in, opening its arms wide to embrace her. _So easy…_

But she was Zora Medina, and she'd never quit. She was a fighter and would remain as such until she took her last breath.

The vampire's face still hovered in front of hers, fingers digging into her fur-covered flesh, the crook of his neck pale and exposed. This was her only chance. She moved without hesitation, pushing her aching body forward to tear into him. She was fast—faster than either of them expected. The vampire was so caught off guard that he fell onto his back, Zora still attached to him. She bit with all of her strength, his terror-filled screams music to the ears of the apex predator inside of her. His pain further drove her desire to kill as she pinned him to the ground, her good arm and leg holding him as her nails dug into his skin. _This is it_ , she told herself, his hard flesh cracking. And with a final, violent jerking, separated his head from his body.

She discarded it haphazardly, adrenaline still pumping as she ripped away the rest of his limbs. She was an animal in the wild, ravenously tearing piece after piece from her prey. When she was done, he was nothing more than a scattered pile of a mangled body.

She gazed at her victory, barking with hysterical laughter when she thought of the bloodsucker putting himself back together like a puzzle. The sliver of energy she had left finally faded and she felt herself collapsing, still laughing as she hit the ground. _Should've brought a damn lighter_ , she thought sleepily, her eyes closing as she slipped away.


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

Zora was cold.

She hadn't felt the cool burning of a frigid breeze in so long, hadn't shivered against the chill of pouring rain, but now, wherever she was, her body trembled as she lay against something hard and icy.

It was peculiar at first, and then terrifying as the rest of her senses filtered in slowly, her nose picking up a nauseating, overly-sweet scent. She knew it well— _too_ well—as her fight with the bloodsucker rushed back to her. He hurt her more than she anticipated, but she won in the end, separating his head from his neck and reducing him to a pile of skin and bone. She won, though she was well aware it would be a short-lived victory. He wasn't _truly_ dead, his regenerative ability allowing him to put himself back together thanks to her lack of fire.

So, she was frightened—was she cold because she was dead? Had the leech killed her after all? Had he torn her apart the way she'd done to him, her entrails splayed across the forest ground? Or was she in some sort of hell, her eternal torture consisting of darkness and vampire stink instead of flames and demons? Her mind was endlessly wracked with questions and disturbing images, but her inner turmoil ceased as she felt a rumble of laughter that wasn't her own.

"You have quite the creative mind."

Wait—she knew that voice. Smooth as silk, deep and alluring. Her eyes flew open, blinded momentarily by sunlight, and then focusing on the mirthful grin of Edward Cullen. Immediately, she realized that she was cold not because of the hard, icy ground but because of the hard, icy arms she was enveloped in.

"I was hoping the shirt may help with the chill," he said, expertly leaping over a fallen tree trunk as he held her in a bridal carry. "My apologies."

She glanced down at herself and noticed she was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, its hem stopping mid-thigh. Though the thin material blocked some of his coldness, the shirt wasn't long enough to cover the backs of her legs. The iciness of his skin sat directly against the warmth of hers, making her teeth chatter. Her eyes then traveled the length of his arm that supported her legs, widening as she saw it connected to a bare shoulder. She stared at his sparkling chest and screamed.

"Why are you _shirtless_?!"

"You had already phased by the time I got to you," he said nonchalantly. "It would have looked highly inappropriate if I delivered you nude."

Face blazing, she struggled in his tightened grip, attempting to free herself and wincing when her injured body twanged in pain. "It already looks _highly_ inappropriate."

"A 'thank you for saving my dear, precious life' would suffice, you know."

"Don't hold your breath, pretty boy."

"I can if you'd like me to. I don't need oxygen to survive."

She groaned loudly in vexation. "Leah will never let me live this down."

He chuckled again, the musical nature of his laughter causing her to roll her eyes. Unlike humans, she wasn't captivated by his otherworldliness. Rather, she found it strange and downright creepy.

"Blunt, too? You're certainly the charmer."

She glared up at him. "Well, you're more than welcome to get out of my head."

"If only it were that easy."

She huffed and shifted in his hold, his grip uncomfortable and foreign. Never in her short existence did she think she'd be in the embrace of a _vampire_. The wolf in her writhed in protest, the word "enemy" reverberating through her mind. It was wrong and entirely unnatural, but she fought against the instinct to lash out at him. He had saved her, after all.

"You destroyed the newborn," she stated tensely.

He nodded. "When I found you, he was already in the process of rebuilding himself."

Zora shivered against him, the image of herself being strangled by a pair of bodiless, wriggling arms unsettling her. Despite the eerie chill she felt, Edward laughed. She gaped at him with an offended expression. "What's so funny, bloodsucker?"

"Peering into your mind is like watching a horror film."

 _I've heard that one before_ , she thought in annoyance, remembering the first time she and Jacob patrolled together. His name reluctantly brought forth memories she would've rather kept hidden in the presence of a mind-reader, her face reddening and his pinching in disgust as Jacob's naked form quickly flitted through her thoughts.

"Unfortunately," he grimaced, " _that_ will be etched into my brain forever."

"You didn't have to look," she grumbled in embarrassment, her eyes trained on the dense greenery whipping past them. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Cape Flattery. We're leaving the Makah reservation."

"Did you come here alone?"

He shook his head. "My siblings Emmett and Rosalie are nearby. Some of your pack is out looking for you, though they went east."

She nodded once, processing the information. She'd been right in her assumption that she was further up the coast, but hadn't realized how far north she'd gone. Still, she was closer to home than she originally thought. She sighed heavily, the knowledge troubling. _Maybe don't drop me off at home right away. Sam's going to kill me._

"He _is_ angry, but he feels concerned more than anything else," Edward said.

"That concern will disappear once he learns I'm alive," she muttered. "And it's not just him. Embry's probably mad and Leah will definitely hate me." She recalled their desperate pleas to her as she ran after the newborn, her stomach clenching at the heartbreak that washed over them.

"You'll have to deal with it. Pursuing a newborn vampire alone was reckless, foolish, and completely dangerous. However, I would have done the same thing."

His words had begun to make her feel like an ignorant, scolded child until his last sentence. "You would?"

He smiled down at her softly. "Of course. I would give up my life to ensure that Bella could live hers."

Zora almost rolled her eyes at his theatric statement, stopping herself when she realized her actions were just as dramatic. In what she thought were her last moments, hadn't she declared that she would rather lose her life than have Jacob lose his?

The more she considered it, the more she recognized that she and Edward were more alike than she would've ever thought. Both were devoted, selfless individuals. He knew why she could rationalize her pursuit of the leech, knew why she ran after him without fear or apprehension or regard for her alpha's orders. He _understood_ her, and it was this realization that made some of her hostility dissipate.

"Listen, it's not like I was planning on dying," she muttered. "But I figured it if it happened, at least it was to protect someone I..."

"Love."

"Yes—no, wait! I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to," he replied, smirking as _goddamn mind-reading nosy bloodsucker_ echoed in her thoughts.

She heaved a sigh. "I don't know what love is. I love my mom and my friends, but…what the fuck does romantic love feel like? I've never even been in a relationship."

Edward contemplated her question, his expression thoughtful as he focused on the path ahead. "Love is…different for everyone. It can be daunting, perplexing, and astonishing all at once. It can make you feel weightless and anchored, euphoric and desolate. Sometimes, it's terrifying to know that you feel so strongly for one person, to entrust them with your vulnerabilities, emotions, and heart. They can leave at any moment…but you can't be controlled by that fear. It's okay to love and to allow yourself to be loved."

"Wow…" Zora paused, appearing deep in thought. "That was so… _lame_! Is this how you get all of the human girls to fall for you? By whispering sweet nothings and saying things like _'I'd die for you'_?"

His expression fell slightly as she mocked him, chuckling loudly to herself. However, he soon found it difficult to contain his own laughter as she pictured him dressed in a Shakespearean outfit.

"You're exactly right," he joked. "Shakespeare verses work especially well for romancing mortals."

"No way. Now you have to let me hear something."

He grinned and cleared his throat. " _Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly to your service._ "

"Oh, God," she cringed. "I think I just vomited in my mouth a little."

"I'm sure you wouldn't feel that way if a certain person repeated those lines to you."

"Ha! Like he would ever do that," she said, an edge in her tone. "He's too busy pining after _your_ girlfriend."

"Fiancée," Edward corrected. "She's going to marry me."

Zora craned her neck to look up at him, her mouth slightly agape. "…Seriously?"

"Seriously."

The news should have been insignificant to her, but she found herself thinking of the one person who would be affected. _Jacob_ – no doubt he knew already. In fact, though she didn't want to remember his and Bella's kiss on the mountain—her and Edward collectively wincing at the memory—she recalled the desperation he had poured into their moment, the desperation she felt coursing through him. He had already lost, the intensity of the kiss a last-minute effort to show Bella what she could have had if she had chosen him.

She didn't want him, though, and Zora had always known that her prediction would be correct—Bella was never going to pick Jacob. She didn't deny the smug satisfaction she felt when picturing his sadness. It was _finally_ his turn to hurt and to experience being someone's second choice.

"You knew she would choose me?"

Zora glance at him sideways. "Obviously. What, you didn't?"

"I had confidence in her," he began, his voice low, "but there was a moment where…I wasn't so sure."

"Dude, she flew all the way to Italy and risked her very mortal life to save your ass. It was always going to be you."

Edward smiled at her confession. "Thank you for believing in me."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Don't thank me for anything. I wasn't rooting for you for _your_ sake."

"Still, it's the thought that counts."

"Sure, sure," she said, waving him off dismissively.

Her expression struck him, and he found himself thinking out loud. "What are you going to do about Jacob?"

She stiffened. Was he going to try and give her love advice again?

"No. I'm just curious – I've seen how you feel about him, and despite all he's put you through...you still care."

"You know, having you in my head is a total invasion of privacy and frankly, it's starting to get on my nerves," she grumbled. "Yes, he's done some stupid shit that _really_ hurt me. And yes, even though he's a total dickhead, I _can't_ stop caring because he's my imprint. However, that doesn't mean I'll go easy on him. I told him that I wouldn't be his friend nor would I wait for him on the sidelines like some pathetic little girl. I don't plan on being anyone's rebound, either. If he ever wants more than...more than what we are right now, he'll have to grovel."

* * *

With Edward's speed, Zora had reached Forks by the afternoon, and after being taken to the Cullen household—where she reluctantly had her shoulder reset by Carlisle, ate her weight and more in food cooked by Esme, and had been given a set of foul-smelling clothes to change into—she was headed to La Push. Her stomach churned nervously as she drew closer to the treaty line, palms sweating when she thought of her pack's reaction to her arrival. Would they be happy to see her or angry and unforgiving? What would Sam say? Would he banish her from the pack as punishment? And her mom—what would she do? Zora had been gone for almost two days, her disappearance surely noticed. She would be angry as well and probably worried to the point that she'd reached out to the police. She sighed. That would only cause more trouble.

"Whatever happens, you'll be fine," Edward said. He'd offered to drive her after Carlisle put her left arm in a sling, advising her against the long walk with her injuries. Along with her shoulder, it was still in the process of healing after the newborn had broken each bone. Her ribs were almost fully healed, but still ached.

She nodded her head absentmindedly, her gaze focused on the familiar foliage flying past the car. She knew those trees – it was her forest, the one that left her feeling caged in and freed simultaneously.

It was home.

Edward came to a stop at the shoulder of the road, the Quileute side of the treaty line laying a few steps away.

Zora turned toward him and gave a half-hearted smile. "Thanks for…everything."

"Of course," he smiled back. "Good luck."

 _Same to you._

She pushed the door open and inhaled, the air around her smelling of pine, moss, and rainwater. Despite her worries, she was relieved to be back, nearly sprinting into the trees as she began the trek home.

* * *

It didn't take long for Zora to reach her house. Her strides were quick; she was anxious to see her mother, fearful of her reaction but desperate to show her that she was alive and okay. When she arrived on her street, her eyes zeroed in on the car parked in the small driveway. _Mom's home,_ she thought, not surprised that she wasn't at work. However, she'd have to confront her sooner than she thought.

After turning the door knob and finding it locked, she trudged towards her window, pulling it open silently and climbing through with ease. She took a moment to bask in the warm scent of her room, briefly comforted as she opened her door and stepped into the hallway.

The house was silent save for quiet static humming from the TV in the living room and the soft rhythm of slow breaths. She crept towards the noise, stopping short when she spotted her mother asleep on the couch. She was gripping Zora's comforter tightly, her face looking tired and tensed even in rest. She knew it was her own doing, and a lump formed in her throat as she stared down at her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, sitting on the edge of the couch and placing a hand gently on her mother's shoulder.

The older woman stirred, her eyes soon fluttering open and blinking sleepily. "Zora?" she asked in disbelief, her expression dazed as she wondered if she was dreaming.

"Hey, mom," Zora replied, wearing a small, awkward smile.

Autumn blinked again, and when her daughter hadn't disappeared, her eyes widened. "You're actually…you're here?"

Zora nodded, too nervous to say anything else. Autumn stared at her in shock, scanning over her daughter's features over and over again, her eyes lingering on the mesh sling. Zora was convinced she was gearing up for a furious and loud lecture, but the thought escaped her as her mother drew her into a tight embrace. They stayed that way for minutes, Autumn crying and Zora realizing that she was doing the same.

In her tear-covered state, Zora wondered how was she was going to explain her disappearance. What sort of terrible lie would she have to come up with that she was sure her mother wouldn't believe?

She drew in a shaky breath. "Mom, I can explain—"

"You don't have to," she spoke softly. "I…know everything."

Zora's eyes widened. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Sam Uley. He told me about you and him and your friends. The secret you've been hiding from me for months and…and the vampires."

Zora blanched, her stomach dropping. She couldn't believe what she was hearing—her mom _knew_ she was a werewolf? And Sam had gone against his own rule to tell her? She was speechless.

"How—how did you get him to tell you?"

"It was after I hadn't heard from you in a couple hours," she said, wiping at the moisture underneath her eyes. "I got home from work late, and when I went to see if you were sleeping, you weren't there. I thought you were out with friends, so I waited up for you. The time kept passing—one a.m., two a.m. and you still weren't home. That's when I began to worry."

Autumn paused, pushing a lock of Zora's hair behind her ear. "After dialing Embry's house and getting no answer, I called Sue. Her voice sounded…strange and heavy like she was withholding something from me. She said she hadn't seen you, so I quickly hung up with her and reached out to Billy. It almost seemed like he was expecting me to call, and when I asked him for the Forks sheriff's information, he told me not to go the police and to head to Sam Uley's place instead. I was insistent on getting police involved, but he told me to trust him, and something in his tone told me to believe him. I drove as quickly as possible, and when I got there, Sam wasn't surprised to see me. He was wearing this…this deeply sad, pained expression, and I-I nearly lost it."

Zora placed a comforting hand over her mother's. "I was sobbing, demanding to know where you were and why he was involved in your disappearance. He tried to have his fiancée console me, but I wasn't having it. I told him to tell me where you were or I'd call the police, and he finally caved. He told me everything—the legends, werewolves, vampires…I didn't believe him. So, he _showed_ me"—she shuddered at the memory, Zora's mouth hanging open in shock—"and I realized all of it, the stories my grandmother told me, had always been real. He told me about…your pack and the-the newborn fight. And then he told me why you were gone."

The anger Zora had been expecting finally surfaced, blazing in the darkness of Autumn's eyes. "I thought you were dead, Zora. All those hours without you…it was the worst pain I have ever endured."

Zora wanted to look away from her mother's piercing glare, but she deserved it—the rage, the guilt. She almost broke her and would accept whatever consequence her mother deemed fit.

"You will _never_ do that again," Autumn said firmly. "I don't care how many…vampire battles you're in. You will never, ever run after one alone. Do you understand?"

Zora nodded shamefully. "I understand."

"And also, you're grounded. For the rest of your life."

"Okay."

Though her mother wore a hardened expression, her brow furrowed, she enveloped Zora in another tight hug. "I'm just happy you're home."

"Me too, Mom."

There was a quaint silence as they embraced. Any anger or sadness had dissolved, washed away by their reunion. Zora felt whole and peaceful, but only for a moment. A nervous thought lingered in the back of her mind—she still had to face Sam.

* * *

 **AN** :

Hello, my dear readers! As usual, I am sorry it took me so long to update. I've been working on this chapter since my last update (which was about a month ago). Honestly, after the previous chapter, I was really stumped with what direction to go in. I wrote and re-wrote this chapter about four times, each different but not up to par with what I wanted. So, here I present this version! I'm content with it and I hope you'll enjoy, too. The fight with the newborn was a significant event for Zora, so I'm excited to show how it'll affect her and the others in the continuing chapters.

Thank you to those of you who read the author's note in the previous chapter and took the time to comment with your thoughts. I think it's really important to be aware of how oppression can be perpetuated even in fiction.

Also, I think it's weird that I've gone so long without giving Zora's mom a name, so I'll probably do that in the next chapters and go back and edit the previous ones (and this one)!

Happy reading. :-)


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

Zora rubbed her palms against the linen of her shorts, her injured arm and shoulder finally healed, and her hands slick with sweat as she walked to Sam and Emily's place. It was hours after her reunion with her mom—who reluctantly gave her permission to leave the house—the sun setting and streaking the sky a brilliant mixture of orange, pink, and purple as it descended below the horizon of trees.

Her heart beat to a nervous rhythm, scenarios playing in her mind as she tried to think of what she would say. "Sorry" was too simple; Sam would cross his arms and stare into her soul with his infamous alpha death glare, and Leah would probably drop-kick her across the entire reservation. She'd have to try something else – sinking to her knees, clasping her hands, and emotionally begging for forgiveness? _No_ , she thought, shaking her head. _I'm not_ that _pathetic_.

She groaned. No matter what she said or did, her pack would be angry. Edward's words reverberated in her mind— _you'll have to deal with it_ —and she let out a resigned sigh, kicking up rocks as she walked.

Though she wasn't looking forward to her pack's reaction at her arrival, it was a relief to be home and to know that the bloodsucker was a pile of ashes miles away from her. She gazed fondly at the small houses that lined the neighborhood, listened contentedly to the movement within them. There were soft voices and laughter, snores and the sizzle of oil in a pan. She still wanted to leave La Push one day, branch out and explore the world, but she couldn't deny the attachment she had to her community; it was stronger now that she was one of their protectors.

A small smile began to form as she overheard animated conversations, but it froze when she saw a tall, angry figure burst through the door of Sam and Emily's house. She was several feet away, but could see the dark expression Sam wore, a mixture of fury and revulsion as he snarled at her. He looked murderous, his body trembling dangerously, and it left Zora shocked and somewhat afraid. His anger was so immense that he wanted to attack her?

She took a cautious step backwards, and her movement seemed to snap him out of his brewing violence.

"Zora?"

She felt just as confused as he looked. "Surprise?"

His frown deepened. "I thought – I thought I smelled a vampire."

Her eyes widened as she glanced down at herself. _The clothes!_ She had grown accustomed to the leech stench and forgot to change out of the shirt and shorts Esme gave her.

"Sorry…about that," she laughed awkwardly, walking forward and stopping at the front of his lawn. Sam's gaze hadn't left her once, his expression steely and unsurprisingly, his arms crossed. It made her wish that the ground opened up and swallowed her.

"When did you get back?"

She hesitated. "…This afternoon."

His eyes narrowed. "You've been back for hours and didn't contact me right away?"

Her mouth opened then closed, unable to find any words to say.

Unfortunately, Sam had plenty. "So the Cullens found you after all, and instead of alerting me that you were _alive_ "—he coldly looked her up and down—"you go home with them and play dress up?"

"I wasn't playing _dress up_! And I didn't spend the whole day with them!" she retorted hotly, shrinking back as soon as he gave her an icy glare. "I…I had to speak with my mom first."

"You could have called me anyway."

Zora was used to his anger, but it was his calmness that unnerved her. He spoke firmly and harshly, his face a neutral, unmoving mask. His dark eyes scrutinized her with disappointment, filling her with the guilt and shame she had tried to avoid.

"You're right," she muttered, lowering her eyes to the ground. "I could and should have called, but…I was scared, alright? I was scared to talk to you and face you because I…didn't want you or anyone else to hate me."

He continued his glaring, and then his mask slipped as he sighed. "I don't hate you; I could never hate you. You're pack – part of my family."

Still unable to meet his gaze, Zora heard the shuffling of his feet as he moved from the porch to stand in front of her. The ferocity she sensed earlier disappeared, and when she chanced a glance upwards, she saw that his rough exterior had melted away. In its place was a look of pure exhaustion.

"What I _do_ hate is that you ran off alone, without anyone to support you. You…somehow refused my order, and while I'm unsure of how that was even possible, I'm still angry about it. Angry because all I care about, for you and the others, is your safety. We had an agreement—we wouldn't lose anyone during the newborn fight, but I lost you. I looked _everywhere_ for you, followed what little of your trail was left, and when I couldn't find you, I feared the worst."

Zora felt his words settle upon her like a heavy boulder, the weight of his emotion constricting her. His confession was difficult to hear, and if he felt that horrible about her disappearance, she could only imagine what Leah would say _and_ do.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

He was silent for a moment, studying her. He could tell her apology was sincere, could see it in her face and hear it in her voice, but he _knew_ Zora. He fully understood that she was only apologizing for the distress she caused him. She didn't regret leaving, and he wasn't surprised. He was aware that if the opportunity ever arose, she would run off again in a heartbeat to save the people she loved. The thought troubled him, but he couldn't hold her actions against her. He would do _anything_ to protect Emily…so he nodded, accepting her apology and pulling her into an unexpected hug—an act of forgiveness.

Zora was bewildered. Sam was _hugging_ her? He had never done that before. Didn't he want to angrily yell at her or make her patrol for 48 hours straight? She stood stoically, unsure of how to proceed, before placing her arms around him tentatively. His embrace felt like that of a father, and while she was slightly weirded out, it was strangely comforting.

Lasting only a second or two, he pulled away, wearing what looked to be a combination of a smile and a grimace. "Zora…you stink."

A short huff of laughter escaped her. "You really know how to make a girl feel special, Uley. Can we go inside now? I missed Emily, and I missed her food even more."

He chuckled, motioning for her to follow as he lead her into the bright warmth of his house.

* * *

"If you _ever_ run off like that again, I'll hunt you down myself."

Zora fidgeted under the fierce glare of her best friend, not daring to take another bite of the thick slice of banana bread Emily gave her. Sam had called Leah first, barely able to get in a few words before she hung up on him and sprinted to his house. She arrived appearing the same way she had looked when Zora first met her—short hair disheveled and brown eyes ablaze.

Zora had hardly any time to react before Leah was in her face, standing over her as she sat at the kitchen table. The atmosphere was tense, the presence of Emily and Sam momentarily forgotten as the two girls stared at one another. For the second time that evening, Zora's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find the right words that would quell Leah's rage.

"I can explain—"

"Explain what?" Leah interjected. "That you value some jackass's life over yours? Don't bother."

"That's not fair," Zora frowned. "You know why I did it."

"Yeah, I know _why_. And I'll tell you what isn't fair, Medina. It isn't fair that you left without any warning or regard for the ones who care about you. It isn't fair that I was worried sick about you and spent my precious time running in every fucking direction to find you. And it isn't fair that I had to mourn my best friend because I thought she was _dead_."

Tears had fallen by the time Leah was finished speaking, but she didn't bother wiping them away. She wanted Zora to feel her pain. And Zora did. Her expression matched her friend's—watering eyes, an unwilling frown, and a quivering mouth as she fought back the desire to cry. She knew Leah's confession would be harder to hear than Sam's, but harder was an understatement. Leah's grief was her grief and remembering her desperate pleas for her to come back pushed Zora further into the depths of sorrow.

"I…I'm sorry, Leah," she murmured, her voice cracking. "I-I know sorry doesn't cut it, but I'm…really, _really_ sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Well, you did," Leah snapped. "Think before you make another careless decision. And don't do that shit again."

Zora nodded, sniffling and wiping at the moisture on her cheeks.

"Now, stand up."

"What?" Zora questioned.

"I didn't stutter, Medina. Stand. Up."

Confused, Zora gazed up at Leah – who was ignoring Sam's warning. Her expression was no longer a tearful frown, but a straight-faced glower as she stared at Zora expectantly. _Does she want to fight me?_ The thought was upsetting – best friends were supposed to butt heads from time to time, but should've been able to make up in a civilized way. They weren't _normal_ best friends, however, and Leah's anger was a force not to be reckoned with. So, she sighed and stood, squeezing her eyes shut and waiting for any sort of painful impact.

What Zora received instead was a pair of arms wrapped around her, holding her in a tight embrace.

"Thanks for staying alive."

Zora exhaled the breath she was holding, relieved and surprised at Leah's behavior. She _never_ initiated hugs, yet held onto Zora as if she were afraid she'd disappear again. She felt a pang of guilt and threw her arms around Leah; the two stayed that way for several moments, a comfortable silence surrounding them as any lingering negativity dissipated.

Finally, Leah pulled away, her glare replaced by a smirk. "You _totally_ thought I was going to kick your ass."

Zora grinned, happy that they were able slip back into the ease of their friendship. "I'm not usually this gullible, okay? But you looked super mad, and I figured if a fist fight was going to make you feel better, I'd happily oblige."

" _Aw_ ," Leah said sarcastically, placing a hand over her heart. "I couldn't ask for a better best friend."

The girls cackled together, their laughter growing louder as Zora wrestled Leah into another embrace.

* * *

The rest of the pack had soon arrived, each boy carrying a grease-stained box of pizza as they shuffled through the door noisily and excitedly.

"You made it!" Jared shouted in her ear, pulling her into a side hug.

"You smell like vampire ass, though," Paul said, grimacing and pinching his nose as he slapped her on the shoulder.

"She smells better than _you_ ," Leah replied, laughing as he scowled at her.

Seth, Colin, and Brady had scooped her up in group hug, forcing her to jump up and down with them as they giggled like a pair of school girls.

For the first time in almost two days, Sam and Emily's place was alive, the stark opposite of the quiet, dull sadness that had filled it before Zora's return. Everything felt peaceful again, and everyone felt _whole_. Sam was aware of it and so was Emily, the couple exchanging smiles as they retrieved plates for everyone to eat on.

And Zora felt it, too. Her departure had a profound effect on her and the others, and being with them again made her realize how integral she was to the pack dynamic. She missed the joking, the merriment—hell, she had even missed the arguing. Being away from the pack gave her the solitude she hadn't experienced since her pre-wolf days, and oddly enough, she didn't miss it. The pack's constant presence—in her mind and in reality—made her yearn for them.

She was _so_ damn happy to be back.

The light and joyous mood continued as everyone gathered around the kitchen table, several slices of pizza in hand and mouths full as conversation was made. Over the boisterous noise, the rumble of a familiar engine could be heard, and though no one bat an eye upon hearing it, Zora was keenly aware of whom the engine belonged to. Car doors slammed, and a few seconds later, Quil and Embry rushed into the house, each throwing their respective boxes of pizza on the counter as they went to ambush her with hugs.

"I knew you'd make it! Didn't I tell all of you jerks she'd make it?" Quil shouted.

Embry snorted. "No. I'm pretty sure you cried like a baby and repeated, ' _She's not gonna make it, she's not gonna make it!_ '"

"Geez, Ateara," Zora teased. "Thanks for having zero faith in me."

"Shh…don't listen to his lies, Zora," Quil said soothingly, shooting Embry an icy glare. "He cried like a baby, too."

Like an old married couple, Quil and Embry continued bickering, and while Zora was amused, the feeling weakened as she found Jacob in the sea of tall bodies crowding Emily and Sam's kitchen. He was leaning against the door frame, crutches held underneath his arms as they supported some of his weight. It gave her some comfort to see him standing, the right side of his body somewhat healed from the agonizing damage the bloodsucker inflicted. He looked stronger and healthier, the complete opposite of the broken boy she'd left behind two days ago.

And he was staring at her.

It felt like more than a simple glance, however, as he gazed at her with an intensity that made her stomach flutter. He was happy to see her, but there was more, a strange longing in his eyes that she had never seen him direct towards her; a look that had once been reserved for Bella Swan.

Zora gulped, her heart thrumming against her chest as she tore her gaze away from him. He was supposed to be in love with someone else, yet there he was, staring at her as if she were the only person in the room, looking as if he wanted to pull her into his arms and—

 _No_ , she thought, the voice in her head firm as the image cleared from her mind. _No, no, no._ _I'm_ not _falling for that again._ _We're nothing—not friends, not even acquaintances. That's what he decided._

She glanced back at him, and this time, he gave her a half-smile, his hand raised in a shy wave. She groaned inwardly. _Why? Why was his awkwardness so annoyingly adorable?_ Clenching her fists, she decided that this would be the defining moment; she would let him and everyone else know that things were going to be different this time around.

With some difficulty and an unwavering resolve, she disregarded his greeting, averting her eyes away from him and turning her back.

* * *

 _ **AN**_ :

Another update for y'all! It wasn't the most exciting chapter, but the reunions were necessary! And so was Zora's attitude, lol.

I hope you enjoy, and if you spot any errors, have some constructive criticism, ideas, predictions, and so on, feel free to comment! And thank you to everyone who continues to read, follow, and review this story. I'm grateful for all of you. :)


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

"Stop staring so much. You look like a stalker."

Jacob scoffed at Embry's comment, his eyes fixed on the bathing suit-clad figure lounging on a towel only a few feet away from him.

He and his friends had spent the last few days at one of the many beaches in and near La Push, their summer break still in full swing and the weather kind enough to bless them with sunlight and mild warmth. It was too nice not to enjoy the outdoors, and with no looming threat of a bloodsucker—lone _or_ army—life was quieter than it had been in months. The peace was strange, but the wolves quickly adapted, happy to spend time with their loved ones without any worries.

When the three boys weren't patrolling, they had their toes buried in the sand, Jacob itching to join his friends as they took up games of volleyball or wiped out on the waves whenever they attempted to surf. Though his body was now fully healed, he had to keep up the irritating façade that he was still injured – all thanks to Charlie Swan. The police officer spread the story of his supposed bike crash, meaning Jacob had to awkwardly move about in public with crutches he didn't even need. The only time he was able to discard them was when he was home or in his garage, so Embry and Quil often supplied the snacks as they joined him in watching TV, playing video games, or working on his car.

Despite the annoyances, life was good, but it would've been better if the girl he couldn't stop gazing at acknowledged his existence.

Zora had been home for a week, and in those seven days, hadn't said one word to him. He didn't see her as often—her mom made a deal with Sam that she would still patrol, but couldn't be out past 11 p.m. and made her get a summer job at the local grocery store—so it would've been nice to talk to her. But she was determined to make gaining her trust and friendship difficult, and he couldn't even bring himself to be upset about it. As Emily not-so-gently reminded him, she was protecting herself; after everything he'd subjected her to, she deserved to be wary of him.

Still, she loved him.

And now that he knew the truth, she didn't bother hiding the warmth emanating from even the simplest memories of him, the soft lilt of a voice humming _Jacob, imprint, love_ in the depths of her mind. She loved him, but she was adamant about not letting her feelings blind her. She would _not_ give into him easily and had no intention of excusing any of his wrongdoings. If he wanted any semblance of normalcy between them, he needed to work for it.

So he was determined to make things right because Leah's angry ultimatum made him realize that letting Zora go was the one thing he _didn't_ want to do. For so long, he deluded himself into believing Bella was "the one," had wasted time in pursuing her even after she made it clear that she didn't want him. His sad desperation hurt him over and over again, but the pain was nothing compared to the ache he felt upon realizing that Zora could be lost to him _because_ of him.

In her absence, he finally accepted the feelings he'd been holding back, and though the process was difficult—not because he didn't like her, but because he liked her _so_ much it made him wince to think of all the hurt he caused her—the fog occupying his mind and heart had cleared. He knew who he wanted, and though the clarity was elating, he was well aware he was not deserving of her. Not yet, at least.

"Now you look like a sad stalker," Quil teased.

"Shut up," Jacob grumbled. He was sitting in the sand, paying no attention as Quil and Embry tossed a football to each other.

"You _could_ just walk over there and say hi," Embry suggested.

"Actually, he'll have to fake limp over there," Quil added, snickering.

"You're a real comedian, Ateara. And for both of your information, I can't _just_ walk over. She… doesn't want to talk to me right now, so I'm respecting her choice."

"Ha!" Quil yelled. "Since when do you respect girls' choices?"

Jacob glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know…chasing after Bella even though she made it clear she wanted the leech, kissing Bella after she said no…"

Embry nodded. "He's got a point."

Jacob's face burned, his embarrassment rising thanks to his friend's words. Quil was right, of course. He'd made some terrible choices in his pursuit of Bella, including kissing her without her consent. Add it to the list of shitty things he did for "love."

He sighed. "I know—I was an asshole, alright? I made a lot of mistakes that I'm not proud of, but I'm turning a new leaf. That means being more respectful to women."

Embry and Quil stared at him with scrutiny before bursting into laughter. "Respectful to women, huh? I'm impressed," Embry stated. "I like this new accountable Jacob."

"Same," Quil said. "Now stop being a puss and go talk to her."

Jacob rolled his eyes. Had they not listened to a word he said? Zora made it clear she didn't want to speak to him, and he wasn't going to ignore her request and waltz over there like everything was fine. He quickly chanced a glance at her and— _shit_ , she was staring right at him. His heart thumped frantically, the heat in his face rising as he looked away. He couldn't have expected her not to stare—she could literally hear everything they were saying—but she caught him off guard. Gazing into the darkness of her brown eyes ignited the pull between them, a light fluttering blooming in his stomach.

"Jake—wait…" Embry paused, "are you _blushing_?"

"No way," Quil said, his eyes wide. "He's _totally_ blushing!"

"I am _not_ blushing," Jacob growled, his face reddening further. "The sun is just making my face hot."

A snort came from Zora's direction, and though her eyes were closed and she was no longer staring at him, he noticed her wearing the smallest of smirks. She was enjoying listening to him make an ass of himself, and he was more than willing to let the humiliation continue if it turned that smirk into a full-fledged smile.

 _Stop staring,_ he told himself. _It's creepy, and she probably thinks you're weird._

But more and more these days, he found it increasingly difficult to tear his gaze away from her. The russet brown of her skin was darker from all the time she'd been spending in the sun, radiant and glowing. Her hair was longer, too, and though he knew she planned on cutting it soon, he liked the way some of it fell from the messy buns she often wore. He wanted to push those flyaway strands behind her ear, brush his thumb along her cheekbone and down to the cupid's bow of her lips, cup her chin between his thumb and forefinger and gently tilt her head upwards so that their eyes would meet, then he'd lean down, slowly filling the empty space between their lips—

" _Ow!_ " he yelled, pulled from his trance as he rubbed the center of his forehead and glared at a giggling Quil. "Why'd you throw the football at my face?"

Embry chuckled. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"The thing where you get that weird, far-off look in your eyes because you're daydreaming about making out with Z—"

" _Don't_ finish that sentence," Jacob warned, his voice low and ears red.

Embry shrugged his shoulders. "Fine…but we'll all see it later, anyway."

Jacob sighed and fell back into the sand, squinting as he stared up at the cloudless blue sky. _Whichever alpha ancestor came up with the idea to have us all share thoughts…you suck._

The vastness was calming, and though it momentarily emptied his mind, it was shrouded seconds later by thoughts of Zora. Maybe his friends were right; maybe he _should_ go talk to her. It'd been days since they last spoke, so maybe she was no longer displeased with him. And it didn't have to be some super elaborate conversation. He could just say hi and walk away. There was no harm in a simple hello, right?

 _Wait a minute_ , he thought, grimacing. _What if she ignores me like last time?_ _God, that'll be so embarrassing. Or what if it makes her more pissed at me? She for sure won't talk to me then. Okay…maybe I shouldn't go over th—_

"Need any sunblock?"

Jacob's tumultuous thoughts ceased as a male voice came from Zora's direction. A frown darkened his features as he sat upright, his eyes zeroing in on the broad, bare back of a long-haired guy.

His jaw clenched. As much as he would've liked to be her sole admirer, he knew that wasn't the case. He'd caught plenty of guys gawking at her the past few days, and though it usually only took a straight-faced glower from him to make them look away, the one grinning down at her wasn't intimidated so easily.

"I can't stand that Allen guy," Embry said. "Thinks he's hot shit 'cause he goes to UW."

"I mean, it _is_ a pretty good school," Quil mused, correcting himself upon receiving a glare from both Jacob and Embry. "But yeah, fuck that dude."

Though Jacob appreciated his friends' solidarity, it did nothing to quell his steadily-rising irritation. He knew Allen, not only because he went to high school with him, but because he'd built _quite_ the reputation for himself. His status as an older, "bad-boy" college student earned him the attention of many girls in La Push, and though he came back in the summer months to visit his family, he remained pretty _busy_ during his stay.

And unfortunately, Zora was at the top of the list of girls he wanted to get busy with.

"Let's see what lame attempt he tries today," Embry snickered.

Quil laughed along with him, but Jacob didn't find the older boy's antics comedic. Allen approached Zora often, and though Leah was usually there to get rid of him with a blunt "fuck off," she hadn't accompanied Zora to the beach today.

While his first instinct was to march over and block him from even _looking_ at her, Zora proved time and time again that she didn't need anyone's protection. After seeing her fight with the newborn—which both unsettled him and strengthened the adoration he felt towards her—Jacob knew that she was more than capable of taking care of herself. But he _wanted_ to protect her, whether it was from a rogue bloodsucker or a creepy, persistent college dude. He didn't want to push any boundaries by stepping in, though. So as much as it irked him to watch her be ogled like a piece of meat, he would let her handle it.

She stared up at Allen with disinterest. "No thanks. I've got my own."

"You sure?" Allen pressed, his voice lowering and his eyes glued to her chest. "I'd be more than happy to get those _hard-to-reach_ places."

 _Hell no._

Jacob was up and moving before he realized it, his fists tight and trembling as one mantra echoed in his thoughts: _I'm gonna kick that guy's ass_. He heard the frantic voices of his friends telling him to come back, but they were whispers against the angry, chaotic noise in his mind. He'd reached Zora and Allen in a few powerful strides, his hand slamming down on the latter's shoulder. Jacob gripped him roughly, pulling him backwards and nearly growling into his ear.

"I believe she said _no thanks_ ," he spoke through his teeth. "Take a hint and get lost."

He could hear the acceleration of Allen's heart, and though it beat faster in what Jacob knew was nervousness, his expression didn't betray him. He sized up Jacob, whose stature was taller, wider, and overall, more powerful – but he didn't budge.

"This your boyfriend or something?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "No, he's not."

Both boys reacted, one frowning and the other grinning until she continued, "But he _is_ right. I already said no, and I don't plan on saying it again. Stop bothering me."

Their expressions had switched, and now Jacob was grinning at the aggravated look Allen wore. It only lasted a second, however, as the cool mask he wore slipped back onto his face. He shook Jacob's hand off his shoulder, scowling at him for a moment before turning to Zora with another smirk.

"Fine. I'll see you around."

 _No, you won't_ , Jacob wanted to say, but refrained from speaking, choosing instead to see him off with a triumphant, gloating smile. He was happy once Allen's profile disappeared from view, but his grin fell as he met Zora's amused stare.

Immediately, he was reduced to a flustered, stammering mess. "I…I—uh…it sounded like…uh…you needed some…help?"

She shook her head. "I can handle him. Thanks, though."

"Sure, sure," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're…uh…welcome." He turned around, his face red and blazing when she called out his name.

"Jacob?"

He whipped around desperately. "Yes?"

She smiled, and his heart soared. "I think you blew your cover."

"Oh," he said, crestfallen. _Those weren't the words I was expecting_.

She continued smiling and motioned to something behind him. He gave a heavy sigh, turning around to look in the direction of where she was pointing. In the distance, Quil and Embry were watching him and laughing, each holding one of his crutches high in the air.

"Great," he muttered. "Sam's going to be pissed."

He turned back around to give her a weak wave, stopping short when he saw that her grin had also turned into laughter, her hand over her mouth in attempt to shield it from him. He trudged back to his friends, his head bowed and his eyes cast downward.

 _I guess I'll just go die of embarrassment now._

* * *

 _ **AN:**_

Lol, dramatic.

I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! But if not, that's okay, too. I felt like it was time for Jacob to do the pining and daydreaming and getting nervous around Zora. And honestly, it was fun writing from his POV. We'll see how their relationship continues to develop now that he's over Bella.

As always, reviews, constructive criticism, favorites, and follows are greatly appreciated! I really love hearing from all of you. :-) Also, stay safe out there! These times are crazy and kind of scary, so please try and make time for rest and relaxation, especially if you're stuck at home the next few weeks.


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

" _It's pretty clear he's got the hots for you, Zora."_

She frowned slightly, her fingers absentmindedly pulling at the tips of her hair as she spoke with Leah over the phone.

"Well, yeah…I know that. But I-I don't know how to handle…all of this," she sighed, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she mulled over the instance at the beach earlier.

It hadn't been easy to feign an outward appearance of nonchalance around Jacob, to act as if she was uninterested in his words and actions when she was actually teeming with nerves on the inside. He was making his feelings for her incredibly obvious, and though his lack of subtlety gave her some joy, the feeling she felt most often was anxious.

In the week she'd been home, something between them changed. Like the flick of a switch, their bond lit up and deepened. The imprint had grown stronger, evident in the intense yearning she tried—and failed—to fight against. It was unnatural to want to be near him so desperately that her chest ached; unnatural that thoughts of him streamed through her mind like the rapid flow of a river.

His acceptance of their connection unleashed the tidal wave of emotions that, unbeknownst to her, were locked within. Loving him when he loved someone else was a muted version of the love she felt now that his feelings had shifted to her. It was what Sam and Jared knew—the unyielding adoration and devotion, the willingness to do anything, _be_ anything for their imprint. She felt it, too—and it scared her.

It should've given Zora some solace to know that Bella was no longer in the picture, but the source of her anxiety was not knowing if Jacob let her go because he _actually_ had feelings for her...or because she was the only other available option.

" _Handle what?"_ Leah said. _"The fact that you both know you're into each other?"_

"Yes…no…I don't know!" Zora grumbled. "All I know is that I wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't said anything."

" _Is that a bitchy way of saying thank you? Because you're welcome."_

Zora huffed, but she knew Leah was right. It was her admitting to Jacob of Zora's love for him that prompted his change of heart, and though it gave her some relief to now navigate the pack mind without the mentally taxing burden of keeping a secret, she wished she could have withheld the truth a little while longer.

Change wasn't her strong suit, and it was happening fast— _too_ fast.

"You're right," she sighed. "Thank you. I don't want to talk about me anymore, though. How was your meeting with the admissions advisor?"

" _Boring,"_ Leah yawned. _"We discussed admissions requirements and my 'goals' as a 'prospective student.'"_

Zora could hear the grimace in her voice and chuckled. "Your too-cool-for-school act doesn't work on me, Clearwater. I know you're excited."

" _Don't get me wrong, I_ am _excited,"_ she admitted. _"You literally almost dying made me re-evaluate some things. I had to rethink my 'Stay-at-Home Mom without the Mom' plan, so community college it is – for now. And who knows, maybe I'll even transfer to the University of Washington like your creeper boyfriend."_

Zora rolled her eyes and grinned. "Okay, first of all, Allen's not my boyfriend. And second, I'm super happy for you."

" _Thanks, but don't get too excited because I expect you to do all of my math homework. Now go get ready for work! I'll talk to you later."_

* * *

" _Clean up on aisle 7!_ "

Zora snickered to herself as the command was followed by a bout of laughter, Jared cackling at his poor imitation of a southern accent.

 _He's lucky this place is closed_ , she thought, his laughter magnified by the intercom as it echoed through the empty store. She continued straightening rows of canned beans, her snicker turning into quiet laughter when she heard the store owner reprimand him.

Although her life-long grounding had quickly been rescinded, Zora wasn't completely off the hook. Rather than have her cooped up in the house, her mom opted for a different route, preferring she spend her free time doing something productive. A summer job was the alternative, and now Zora was to spend some of her weekdays and weekends at the only grocery store in La Push; stocking shelves, working the cash register, sweeping, mopping, and counting the number of faded, yellow tiles lining the floor when business was slow.

She was grateful Jared was able to help her get the job, and though she would never admit it, even more grateful that he worked some of the same shifts as her. When he wasn't rambling on and on about how amazing Kim was, he was actually quite funny; and laughing and joking with him made the time pass by faster.

Her eyes darted to the clock on the furthest wall, relief washing over her when she saw only a few minutes of her shift remained. She worked quickly, filling in gaps and turning around cans and boxes so that the labels were front-facing. When her designated aisles looked satisfactory, she headed towards the back where the break room was located, ready to discard her tacky green apron and clock out when she spotted Jared on his hands and knees, a bucket of soapy water next to him as he furiously scrubbed at the floor.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Medina."

"How do you know I'm smirking? You're not even looking at me."

"Because I can sense it _and_ your smugness at the fact that I'm stuck here cleaning nonexistent dirt while you get to go home."

"We could've both left at the same time," she offered, shrugging her shoulders. "No one told you to mess around with the intercom."

"Yeah?" he paused to frown up at her. "Well, I have _no_ regrets. Now you can either stand there and do nothing or assist your unbelievably handsome friend by grabbing a brush and helping him clean so he can also go _the fuck_ home."

Zora chuckled. "No can do. I'm going to Quil's house after this, but since I have an eleven o'clock curfew, I don't have much time to hang out. So, I'd _rather_ spend time with my friends than help you clean."

"Oh, come on!" he complained. "We're friends! I'll even give you a ride to Quil's."

She shook her head. "I could get there faster by running."

"Alright, how about this: I'll give you a ride _and_ I'll buy you a pizza." When she didn't respond, choosing instead to cross her arms and stare at him with an expectant look, he sighed. "Fine…two pizzas. But that's my final offer."

She grinned triumphantly. "Deal."

* * *

"…and Kim doesn't think she looks that great in yellow, but I think she looks beautiful in _every_ color. Sometimes, she thinks I'm lying when I say she looks hot in everything she wears, but it's totally true! Like she could walk around wearing a garbage bag, and I'd still want to—"

"Jared!" Zora interrupted impatiently. "As much as I enjoy hearing about how you worship Kim and the fact that you'd still want to have sex with her even if she wore trash, I'm going to have to ask you to stop talking."

He gave the side-eye before barking out a laugh. "Man, you sure are rude when you're hungry."

"It's called _hanger_ ," she scoffed. "Now drive faster. You're wasting my time."

"Relax, Medina! Eager to see your precious lover boy?"

She whipped her head to look at him, her eyes narrowed. "Jacob isn't my _lover boy_. He's also not going to be there tonight."

"You guys didn't invite him?" he asked incredulously. "Damn, that's coldhearted. Now he's gonna be emo tomorrow, and we'll all have to suffer through his thoughts."

Zora shifted her gaze back to the windshield wearing a straight-faced expression, her eyes following the dark trees as they whipped past Jared's car. A pang of guilt radiated throughout her chest, however, as she thought of Jacob being hurt. While she didn't want to cause him any sadness, she wasn't ready to spend time with him as if everything was normal.

She ran after the newborn believing he was lost to her, that he had chosen Bella, and after seeing them kiss, believing that she chose him back. Part of her expected to not make it back alive, and the other half expected that should she live, she'd have to accept—for the rest of her life—that he'd always love Bella. Only that wasn't the case. She knew Jacob would be different after Edward told her he and Bella were to be married, but she hadn't expected a complete turnaround in him. She wasn't prepared for the romantic thoughts, the way he longingly stared after her, or his blatant admission of the strong feelings he had for her—feelings he seemingly had all along, but chose to lock away.

She needed some time to adjust, and she wasn't sure if she trusted him. More than anything, though, she didn't trust herself. The imprint was strong, stronger than it had ever been, and if he wanted to, all he had to was ask her—for forgiveness, friendship, something _deeper_. She was afraid she'd be more than willing to give in.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," she muttered.

Jared quickly looked at her, shaking his head. "You two are so weird. Just put us out of our misery already and get together."

"It's not that simple," she gritted her teeth. "You saw everything he did."

"Yeah, I saw it. And it _sucked_ to see and feel you hurt constantly. I can't imagine Kim putting me through something like that—"

"So obviously," she interjected, her voice bitter, "we can't just forget about the past and _get together_."

"No, the past will always linger. But now you two have a fresh start! A new opportunity to get to know each other without any complications."

Zora's hands tightened around the boxes of pizza she was holding, her food momentarily forgotten as her fingers dug into the cardboard. Jared didn't understand her apprehension. He hadn't experienced the same grief as her, hadn't felt pain over and over again because of his imprint. He didn't understand why she didn't want to let Jacob in.

Awaiting her reply, he glanced at her shaking hands and frowned. "Zora, I didn't mean to make you upset—"

"It's fine," she murmured, breathing deeply to suppress the tremors. "Don't worry about it."

He nodded, but an uncomfortable silence sat with them the rest of the drive. Luckily, the unlit winding road soon led to Quil's house, and a sigh of relief left Zora as the small home came into view. She eagerly left Jared's car, bidding him a short farewell before following the grassy path to the front door. Her stomach fluttered as she moved closer, and though the feeling was out of place, she chalked it up to her excitement at seeing her friends. She smiled as she heard their boisterous laughter, and as she raised her fist to knock, the door swung open.

"Brethren! Who's ready for some semi-cold—"

She bumped into Jacob's chest, and the rest of her sentence fell weakly from her lips. "—pizza?"

"Hey, Zora," he greeted, smiling down at her.

Her mouth was agape as she stared up at him, her heart feeling as if it lodged in her throat as she forced out a shaky reply. "H-hey."

She could feel the pull between them, the same one she felt at the beach, but it was stronger and harder to ignore as she stood so close to him. The fluttering in her stomach bloomed into warmth that spread throughout her entire body, and simply staring into the brightness of his brown eyes made her forget the tension and frustration that plagued her only a few minutes ago.

"What…what are you doing here?" she finally managed to say, taking a slight step backwards.

He must've also felt the change in atmosphere because his smile fell a little. "Embry invited me."

At his response, she lifted an eyebrow and peered over his shoulder, her eyes meeting the aforementioned boy's smirk as he stood behind Jacob.

"What?" Embry shrugged innocently. "He didn't have any plans."

She shot him a glare, attempting to telepathically communicate that she'd kick his ass later. It didn't work, however, as his smirk grew wider.

"Hey!" Quil shouted from the living room, the Mario Kart theme song blaring from the TV. "Shut the damn door already! You guys are letting in bugs! And bring the pizza – I'm _starving_."

Zora sighed, shuffling past a grinning Jacob and a smug Embry.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

" _Bro_ ," Jacob groaned, "stop cheating!"

"I'm not cheating," Quil said, wearing an offended expression. "You're just mad because I won five times in a row!"

"Well, I wouldn't be mad if you didn't cheat!"

The two continued bickering back and forth, Zora and Embry laughing as Quil dramatically threw his controller to the ground. Though the night started off tense, a smile quickly found its way onto Zora's face. She was enjoying her time with Embry and Quil, and though she wouldn't admit it aloud, even Jacob. She raced against him a few times, and their playful banter made her feel as if they were old friends.

They all hadn't been able to hang out together in the past—thanks to _certain_ drama—so Zora enjoyed the newfound, lighthearted dynamic between the four of them. However, her curfew quickly approached, their time together cut too short. She stood from the couch and stretched, facing the arguing friends. "Alright guys, I've got to head out."

Their yelling ceased immediately, both looking at her with crestfallen expressions.

"What?" Quil questioned sadly. "Why?"

"I have to be home by eleven. Part of my punishment, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…get that booty home, then! Next time you come over, though, I want a rematch. I refuse to be beaten by Princess Peach."

She chuckled, nodding in agreement. She moved towards Embry, who sat on the second couch, bending over to give him a brief hug. Last, she turned to Jacob, and not knowing how to say goodbye, awkwardly waved at him.

"See you," he said, his voice soft and his expression unreadable.

"See you."

She headed for the door and pushed it open, her long strides leading her through the grass and onto the dark road in less than a minute. Only the sound of gravel crunching beneath her shoes and owls hooting high in the trees could be heard. And then, several feet behind her, a door opened and closed, loud footsteps racing towards her.

"Zora! Wait up!"

She froze, her stomach fluttering again as Jacob's voice carried to her. A feeling of déjà vu washed over her as she paused to allow him to catch up, her mind drifting to instances in which he'd offered to drive or walk her home. They'd always ended in sadness.

When he finally appeared beside her, she raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" he smiled. "I'm going to walk you home."

"I don't need you to do that," she retorted, ignoring his slight wince at the bluntness of her tone.

"I…" he paused. "I _want_ to walk you home."

She could have melted then, turned into a pathetic, gelatinous puddle from the shy softness he exuded. His smile turned bashful, hands plunging into the pockets of his cut-off shorts. _Damn it_ , she mentally cursed. His timidity was quickly becoming her weakness.

"Fine," she muttered, stalking forward without him. He easily matched her pace, and the two fell into a silence that was unpleasant, but bearable. Should she say something? _No_ , she quickly answered her own thought. He may have been walking her home, but they didn't have to speak.

Or so she thought.

Jacob cleared his throat. "Can I ask you something?"

She nodded, his statement causing her hands to sweat.

"Why do you call me 'Jacob' instead of 'Jake'?"

Though she kept her eyes forward, heat bloomed in her face. "I didn't think you noticed…" she hesitated nervously, "but it's because Bella…she, uh, called you 'Jake', and I wanted something that was…reserved for me only."

She hoped the night hid her embarrassment because she was sure her face was bright red. Never did she think she'd have to share such a mortifying statement to him. Her heart beat faster as she awaited his response, and though he didn't say anything back, the acceleration of his own heart was unmistakable.

The rest of the walk remained quiet, Zora's mind racing and, unbeknownst to her, Jacob's doing the same. They reached her street quickly, and it took a strong amount of willpower to not run home and abandon him on the side of the road. She walked quicker, ready to enter her house, dive into her bed, and bury her shame beneath the covers when Jacob stopped in front of her neighbor's house, breaking their silence.

"Zora, I…need to tell you something."

She gulped, unable to meet his eyes. "What is it?"

"I know I have a lot of making up to do, but I—I want you to know that I don't want to be _just_ your friend."

Her breath hitched in her throat, and when she stared up at him, his eyes held an emotion she hadn't seen before. She'd always wanted to hear him say those words, but now, after _everything_ , she wasn't ready.

"You know that I...I can't give you that at the moment," she confessed, and though it saddened her to say and saddened him to hear, he nodded in understanding.

"I know. So...I'm content just being your friend."

"Thank you," she spoke gently. "I have to go, but I'll see you around."

"Okay," he murmured. "I'll see you around, too."

However, neither of them made a motion to move, and after a seconds-long internal struggle, Zora threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a quick, tight embrace. She caught him off guard, and before he had time to respond, she let go.

"Goodnight, Jacob," she said, offering a small smile as she backed away.

His lips pulled into a wide, dazed grin. "Goodnight, Zora."

* * *

 **AN** :

Whew! I've been writing like crazy to get this chapter finished and posted! I re-wrote it several times, and I think I'm finally happy with the way it turned out. I'll probably go back in apply edits later, but for now, enjoy!

Also, I want to note that upcoming updates may be less frequent because I'm starting a grad school program next week to become certified in teaching! I'm hella nervous (and also super anxious), and I'll have to spend a majority of my time getting work done. So, I'll write when I can because this story is my baby and I could never abandon it.

Another also: shy Jacob is adorable. But you'll see assertive, hot boy Jacob soon.

Stay safe and healthy, lovelies!


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

Zora gazed at the laminated menu sitting in front of her with extra determination, her brow furrowed as she read through all of the possible food options.

Only she wasn't _actually_ reading.

In fact, she and Embry had visited Kathy's Korner so many times that she basically had the menu memorized. And she never looked through it because she always ordered the same thing – two large servings of cinnamon French toast with extra powdered sugar and a side of chocolate milk.

But this time was different because Quil and Jacob accompanied them. She needed the cover of concentration to hide her distraction because Jacob was squeezed into the small, mint-green booth with her, his shoulder, arm, and thigh pressed into the side of her body. Despite having his own menu, he was looking at hers, his face a bit _too_ close as he leaned into her.

Stomach flittering, she coughed loudly, hoping to catch his attention and sighing when she failed to do so. "Jacob?"

"Hmm?" he hummed lazily, still scanning the breakfast section.

"Can you, like, move?"

He looked up then, confused and then wide-eyed as he noticed their closeness. A sheepish smile pulled at his lips as he promptly scooted away from her, the faintest hue of red blanketing his cheeks and the tops of his ears.

"Sorry," he said, rubbing the nape of his neck. He quickly reached for his own menu and flipped it open, staring at it with the same intensity she had.

Embry and Quil sat across from them, and while it was easy for Zora to ignore their smirks, she couldn't ignore the (annoying) absence she felt now that there was a small space between her and Jacob. She _liked_ the feeling of his body pressed against hers, and that was an issue because they were supposed to be friends – something that was more difficult than she imagined because of her feelings, her _very_ non-platonic feelings.

However, they were steadily growing closer.

Through conversation and time spent together—both a frequent occurrence these days—she learned more about him. She enjoyed hearing him talk about his favorite genre of music (surprisingly, it was metal), memories of him and his sisters rummaging through their mother's closet to play dress-up, and the goals he had for the future. The process felt natural, more _human_ than the unfiltered, unlimited access they had to each other's thoughts through the pack mind.

Friendship was a path they hadn't been able to follow amidst the chaos of her sudden shifting and imprinting, the confusion and anger and hurt that followed, and the looming newborn battle. Though all of those instances were in the past, they weren't forgotten, so Zora would remain his friend and _only_ that until her slowly healing heart was mended entirely.

But damn, was it hard. Because friendship _didn't_ stop the accidental touches, the soft smiles, or the smoldering stares, all of which made her heart race.

Unimpressed by their adorably awkward display, Quil rolled his eyes and yawned. "You two know what you want yet? Because we're hungry and ready to order."

"Yeah," she answered, folding her menu and pushing it away. "I know what I want."

Jacob nodded, his eyes lingering on her. "Me, too."

* * *

The ride to Port Angeles was a loud one.

The four of them piled into Jacob's Rabbit, him and Embry bickering about whether the driver or passenger got to control the radio while Zora sat in the back with Quil, his obnoxious snores rattling in her ear as he slept with his head nestled against her shoulder.

Having played Mario Kart to the point of boredom, they were headed into the city to hunt for more video games, and since Port Angeles was larger than Forks (and even larger than La Push), the thrift stores there boasted more promise than the ones closer to home.

Zora was excited. She hadn't visited the city in a long time, and with her busy schedule of working and patrolling, she didn't get out of La Push often. As she climbed out of the backseat—Quil's snores turning into desperate gasps of breath as her knee accidentally collided with his stomach—she marveled at the rows of small, bustling shops, boutiques, cafes, and restaurants.

"So, what's the game plan?" she grinned. "Where are we headed?"

Still catching his breath, Quil sputtered, "The game plan…is to hit up all of the thrift stores…and search for Crash Bandicoot."

"And if you see someone with it, snatch it out of their greedy little hands," Embry added.

"What if it's a kid?" Jacob asked.

Quil shrugged. "Same rule applies. Children won't be spared."

Boisterous laughter erupted from all of them as they headed to their first destination, a store called "Funky Thrift" that specialized in vintage clothing, appliances, and hopefully, Nintendo 64 games.

Zora was walking alongside Embry, all smiles and enthusiasm and caught up in joking with Jacob and Quil when she _finally_ became attuned to the sensation of being watched. She tore her gaze away from her friends for a moment, noticing that not only were they being stared at from the opposite sidewalk, but that people were blatantly looking at them as they walked past her and the guys.

She was so used to home and being surrounded by the rest of the pack that she hadn't realized how much they stuck out in crowds of "normal" humans—four abnormally tall teenagers dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers despite the chill and the drizzling rain.

"Don't the stares bother you?" she asked Embry, meeting the eyes of a stranger who quickly averted his gaze.

"Nah," he answered. "I know no one's going to start shit, but if they do…" he trailed off, grinning as he flexed one of his biceps.

She gave a huff of laughter, playfully nudging him in the elbow.

As they continued walking, though, she became increasingly aware of the amount of curious whispers and gazes from _girls_ , all of which were focused entirely on Embry, Quil, _and_ Jacob. The first two reveled in the attention, casting mischievous smiles at any girl who so much as blinked at them. Jacob, on the other hand, didn't respond at all, and while she felt smug and satisfied at all of the downturned expressions, his oblivious act only made the stares and whispers and giggles _worse_.

Although she was bothered—because who the hell did those girls think they were ogling _her_ imprint—something else was troubling her, a feeling she didn't like that crept into her mind.

She was glad to finally be inside of the store, the stagnant air and smell of dust providing a momentary sense of calm. The four of them headed straight for the electronics section, hoping to come across an assortment of old video games, and finding a bunch of random controllers and broken consoles instead.

"God damn it!" Quil shouted, ignoring the pointed look from the middle-aged woman at the cash register. "What kind of bullshit is this?"

Zora snorted. "Maybe it wasn't the best idea to come to a place that sells bell bottoms, but I'd be more than happy to buy you a pair."

Jacob grinned. "You _would_ look pretty hot in bell bottoms, man."

"He's definitely got the ass for them," Embry said.

"Ha-ha-ha. You're all class act comedians," Quil grumbled in annoyance. "Let's get out of here. I'm sick of looking at this pile of junk." He began stomping towards the exit, but stopped suddenly, whipping around to glare at his friends. "And you're absolutely right – I'd look hot _as fuck_ in bell bottoms."

* * *

Their second destination was only a few steps away, a Goodwill that Quil was optimistic about because according to his wisdom, "Goodwill's usually had a lot of random shit." The store was considerably larger than the first, rows upon rows of pre-owned clothing, shoes, books, furniture, toys, and much to her friends' delight, video games.

She separated herself as they perused the available options, quietly wandering towards the racks of women's clothing. She could certainly use another pair of cut offs—she'd gone through several pairs due to previous angry outbursts—but she hadn't approached the aisle for that reason. Her eyes lingered on the blouses and dresses, finger tips trailing along the soft, delicate fabrics.

Now that she had a chance to be alone, her smile crumpled and a frown took its place. The feeling she didn't like made its way back to her, heavy as it settled in the pit of her stomach.

Because soft and delicate were two things she wasn't.

She clenched her jaw, recalling the stares her friends received; the looks of intrigue, the hushed whispers about "how attractive" the boys were. And then she thought of the way she'd been stared at, the craned necks as she was gawked at like an oddity at a circus attraction.

And the whispers she listened to with feigned indifference: _"She's tall, like too tall_ , _and she's too muscly." "Do you think she's with one of those guys?" "No way, I'm sure they're just friends." "Yeah, there's no way they'd be into her."_

Zora was self-conscious, and she _hated_ it.

Before she phased, she'd never given much thought to her physical appearance. She liked the way she looked – until Jacob came into her life and towed Bella along with him, the girl who could make her feel inadequate without even trying because she was small and frail and her skin was pale and her lips were pink and her hair was wavy and her face was soft.

And Zora had _none_ of those things.

Her features, inherited from her father, were angular, her jaw sharp, her nose straight, her eyebrows thick, her hair an inky black, her eyes dark, her skin brown. And she was tall—taller than the most of the teenagers at her high school—and toned and intimidating and she wondered if all of it was good enough, if _she_ was good enough.

For a while, she believed she wasn't, had spent many sad nights comparing herself to the leech lover, wondering why – _why_ her?

And then it wasn't Bella anymore.

It was _her_ —Zora—that Jacob had feelings for, and while it was elating and nerve-wracking and a relief all at once because finally, _finally_ it was her, one anxiety-ridden thought had precedence over the rest: why was it her?

He'd denied her for so long, had pushed her away and managed to reel her back in. How could he move on so quickly? Was he using her? Was he settling? Or was it because of the _imprint_ , the unbreakable tether that bound them, weaved like thread through their hearts, their souls.

And the worst thought of all, the one she struggled—and barely managed—to shield from the pack, the one that now reverberated through her mind: did the imprint _force_ him to like her?

She gripped the dress she was touching, her eyes watering as a shallow breath escaped her. She wanted to rip it off the rack and tear it apart.

"Zora?"

She jumped at the concerned voice, so caught up in the storm of her emotions that she hadn't felt Jacob approach her. She let go of the dress and wiped the moisture from her cheeks, putting on her best fake smile as she turned to face him.

"Hey, what's up?"

He was frowning. "Have…have you been crying?"

"Me?" she said, shaking her head a bit too quickly. "No way. I…had something in my eyes."

He didn't believe her. She knew it before the words left her, and she could see it in his expression, in the disappearance of his frown and the softening of his eyes as he stared down at her. For some reason, it made her want to cry again.

Mouth quivering, she looked away from him. "Jacob, I-I don't—"

"It's okay," he interjected. "You don't have to talk about it."

"Thanks."

"Sure, sure," he said. He plunged his hands into the pockets of his shorts, hesitating for a moment. "I just want you to know that they were wrong, by the way. You're _amazing_."

Her eyes met his then, her body flooding with warmth as she noticed the heat of his gaze. Her heart thrummed to a nervous beat as he took all of her in—the faint hue of red brushed across her nose, the dried tears on her cheeks, her slightly parted lips—and a tender smile spread across his face.

In that moment, her sadness dissipated, and she was so overcome by the desire to close the distance between them, to press her body against his, to feel his arms around her, to _touch_ him that she backed away. "We should…we should probably find Quil and Embry," she said, nearly whispering.

"Yeah," he murmured, nodding in agreement. "That's a good idea."

She felt him staring as she brushed past him, leading the way to the rowdy voices of their friends.

Her heart was still racing.

* * *

 **AN** :

Hi, everyone! Sorry for the disappearance. Grad school has taken up a lot of my time. Plus, being glued to my laptop for academic purposes these last few months hasn't really sparked any inspiration. However, my classes are finally winding down (I have three days left, and then a two week break before summer classes begin), so I've been able to devote some time to getting this next chapter out.

Also, like our dear Zora, I've been feeling self-conscious, but my self-doubt is about my writing. I'm my biggest critic, lol, so that has kind of taken a toll on my feelings of creativity.

Something else that has been weighing on me is the state of the world at the moment, specifically all of the events happening in the U.S. I'm Black, and it's been infuriating and exhausting and absolutely depressing to witness the police brutality and waking up to another news article about a Black man or woman or trans person being killed. The protests, both peaceful and violent, have given me some solace and hope, but there are so many police officers out there who still aren't being held accountable, who aren't being arrested and charged for taking someone's life because the color of their skin felt like a threat. Despite the national outrage, Black people are _still_ being killed; they're _still_ being lynched, and their murders are being overlooked, ruled as suicides, or justified.

So I've been tired. If any Black people are reading this, I hope y'all are taking care of yourselves mentally and emotionally. If you're a non-Black person reading this, _please_ educate yourself and _please_ speak up when you hear someone saying something racist, whether it's your family or friends. We all have a part in bring about change.

xoxo


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